The New York Knicks won the first of five games on Christmas Day with 126:124 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Tyler Kolek turned out to be the hero of the evening, initiating a remarkable comeback for the hosts.
The guests from Cleveland started the game, with Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns (11 points, 14 rebounds) finding himself on the bench with two fouls after less than three minutes. The guests opened the game with six three-pointers and, thanks to a weak performance from the Knicks when Evan Mobley (14 points, 9 rebounds) returned after missing five games, played their way to a 38:23 lead after twelve minutes played.
The tide turned drastically in the second quarter, with Jalen Brunson (34 points) and Jordan Clarkson (14 points at halftime) finding their rhythm while the Cavs’ offense collapsed with eight turnovers. Head coach Mike Brown’s team turned the game around to a 60:58 lead until the break.
The back and forth continued entertainingly after the break, as the Cavaliers around Donovan Mitchell also found a way to counter the Knicks’ dominance. After 36 minutes, the Mitchell/Darius Garland duo already had 19 (Mitchell) and 18 points and 8 assists (Garland). The two Cavs stars also delivered a treat with an impressive alley-oop from the center line.
Kolek shakes the Garden
On the Knicks side, there was a moment of shock for Josh Hart: around eight minutes before the end, he rolled over on a drive to the basket and was substituted for Tyler Kolek after two subsequent free throws. Conversely, this substitution initiated momentum in New York’s favor.
Kolek shone with eleven points in the final quarter alone (a total of 16 points, 9 assists and 3 rebounds) and ensured that the Knickerbockers came back into the game from a 17-point deficit at the beginning of the fourth quarter. As a reward, chants echoed through the illustrious home stadium in Manhattan. Hart, however, did not return to the game.
In crunch time, in addition to Kolek, it was Mikal Bridges, Brunson and a putback from Towns who ensured the final turning point. The Knicks avoided their second defeat in a row, celebrated the biggest comeback of the season and improved their record to 21-9. A two-game winning streak ended for the Cavs and they are 17-15.
