Stunning numbers show how badly the Knicks outperformed James Harden in a memorable comeback

Knicks Target James Harden in Game 1

The Knicks clearly had a plan to make James Harden uneasy upon his return in Game 1.

Despite being down by 22 points during the fourth quarter, the Knicks surged back, primarily driven by Jalen Brunson’s standout performance, and ultimately secured a 115-104 win in overtime.

As mentioned in the All-NBA Podcast, the Knicks focused on exploiting Harden by having him as their main on-ball defender. They executed nine isolation plays involving him in the fourth quarter, resulting in an average of 1.9 points generated from each play.

During those nine isolations, the team accumulated roughly 17.1 points, while Harden couldn’t prevent Cleveland from losing their lead. With about 7 minutes and 45 seconds left in the game, a relentless Brunson led an 11-0 run, igniting the Knicks’ comeback.

This momentum didn’t wane in overtime. The Knicks’ dominance continued as they outscored the Cavaliers 14-3 in the crucial final five minutes, with Harden again becoming the primary focus of their offensive strategy.

The podcast noted that Harden also acted as a screener in both the fourth quarter and overtime, setting up 21 on-ball picks and allowing the Knicks to average 1.6 points per play on those possessions, which adds up to 33.6 points overall.

Post-game, Brown made it clear: “It was no secret that we were attacking Harden.” Meanwhile, Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson chose to save his timeouts while the Knicks mounted their comeback. “I like to defend timeouts,” he said, indicating his reluctance to interrupt the flow of the game.

This approach may have been a bit risky; during a critical stretch from 5:34 to 3:30 left in the fourth, Brunson’s scoring spree kept the Knicks in the game. With the team closing in at just five points behind, Atkinson finally called a timeout.

Throughout Brunson’s 11-0 run, Harden found himself defending against each score the Knicks made. When asked if he would consider benching Harden during defensive plays, Atkinson firmly stated, “No. He was one of our best defenders in the playoffs. I trust him. Smart. Great hands. I didn’t think about that.”