Jalen Brunson Reveals Key to Knicks Completing Sweep of Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers and their fans will always look back on their 22-point fourth-quarter lead over the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals and wonder what if.

What if Jalen Brunson didn’t enter another dimension and lead the Knicks to the largest playoff comeback in Knicks history to take Game 1 in overtime?

The question will linger for at least one year, but the truth is that nobody is stopping these Knicks.

In these NBA playoffs, the Knicks are 11-2. Their two losses were each by one point and came against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. After April 23, the Knicks have flipped a switch. They have won 10 straight playoff games and are on the doorstep of their second straight sweep. They have obliterated the Cavaliers to take a 3-0 series lead, most recently winning Game 3, 121-108, in Cleveland on Saturday night.

On the broadcast, Brunson began his postgame interview with Lisa Salters by stuttering and admitting, “I’m at a loss for words.” Later, when Salters asked what it would take for the Knicks to sweep the Cavaliers, Brunson said: “Just focus on one possession at a time. I mean, the way we’ve been having that mindset over these past couple of weeks, we have to continue it. If not, it has to be better.”

It’s difficult to imagine how the Knicks could possibly play any better.

Mike Breen reported that the Knicks have won five straight road games, with each win by at least 10 points, tying for the longest such streak in NBA playoff history. This is the first postseason in Knicks history where the team has held multiple 3-0 series leads. Dating back to the regular season, the Knicks are now 55-3 when leading after three quarters this season, per “Inside the NBA.”

Should the Knicks complete the sweep and win the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday night, they should be the favorites in the 2026 NBA Finals - even if the Oklahoma City Thunder are awaiting them.

The Thunder are the reigning champions and have gone 10-1 in the playoffs, so the above statement sounds absurd in a vacuum. But the Thunder are also locked in a dogfight with the San Antonio Spurs - OKC leads 2-1, with Game 4 on Sunday - and if that battle of attrition goes to a Game 7, the Knicks will have a clear advantage in health and rest.

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published May 24, 2026 at 9:14 AM.