Jalen Brunson credits ‘electric’ MSG crowd for crazy comeback against Cavaliers

The New York Knicks they scripted their most dramatic win and biggest comeback of the season on Christmas Day, erasing a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 126–124at Madison Square Garden. The win improved New York to 21–9 and strengthened its grip on second place in the Eastern Conference.

Knicks guard and player of the year last season, Jalen Brunson led the rally and finished with 34 points and four assistsincluding 13 points in the fourth quarter. He shot 6 of 12 from three-point range and knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:05 left.

Brunson credits the atmosphere inside MSG helps turn the game.

“Just our fan base, our fans are electric, and yeah, it’s been crazy, and I think Christmas has something to do with it,” Brunson told reporters after the win in the team’s locker room. “The way our bench really got us back into the game and they fired up the crowd as well.

Jaylen Brunson says MSG was “electric” and “crazy” today in Knicks’ Christmas Day win over Cavs pic.twitter.com/tzbirdgr17

— Knicks Videos (@sni_knicks) December 25, 2025

It was Cleveland who controlled most of the night. The Cavaliers opened the game on an 18-3 run and led 38-23 after the first quarter behind Donovan Mitchell’s hot start. Cleveland shot 13 of 19 in the opening period and led by as many as 17 early in the fourth after building a 103-86 advantage. The Cavs also outscored the third quarter 38-24, taking a 96-84 lead into the final frame.

As important as Brunson’s scoring was, New York’s comeback hinged on its bench. Jordan Clarkson had his best game of the season, scoring 25 points and hitting five 3-pointers. Tyler Kolek had 16 points, nine assists and shot 4-of-5 from deep, finishing with a team-high plus-minus that ranged from +23 to +24 in all reports. Kolek also made a key defensive play late, blocking Donovan Mitchell on a drive that was called back for a review violation.

Mitchell Robinson made a huge difference on the glass. In just 17 minutes, Robinson grabbed 13 rebounds, eight of them offensive, multiple times during the Knicks’ late surge. He didn’t score, but his rebounding directly led to multiple second-chance 3-pointers during a 13-2 run that swung the momentum. It wasn’t an easy matchup for Karl-Anthony Towns, but he still came away with 11 points and 14 rebounds, including a clutch late putback and two pressure-free layups in the final seconds.

New York’s shot and extra possession eventually changed the game. The Knicks hit 21 3-pointers at a 48% clip, pulled down 12 offensive rebounds and forced turnovers after the Cavaliers had led for most of the game. Cleveland, which entered the night on a 13-0 run after leading after three quarters, was just 9 of 27 in the fourth.

Donovan Mitchell was the best player for the Cavaliers with 34 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals. Darius Garland recorded a double-double with 20 points and 10 assists. Evan Mobley returned from a five-game absence with a grade-A left calf strain and added 14 points and nine rebounds, while Jaylon Tyson added 16 points off the bench.

New York finished with six players in double figures and improved to 15-2 at home, behind only the Oklahoma City Thunder for the league’s best home record. Cleveland fell to 17-15 and seventh in the East. The Knicks will play the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, while the Cavaliers will play the Houston Rockets.