Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden had a tough time on the floor in Tuesday's 114-105 Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks. His offensive contribution was limited to 15 points and three assists with a 5-for-16 record from the field. The Knicks also exploited Harden on defense late in the game, with Jalen Brunson leading his team to the largest playoff comeback in franchise history. Harden, who went 1-for-8 with the three-ball, completed his line with four rebounds, one steal, one block, and six turnovers. While the biggest talking point after Game 1 is Harden's defense, he has also been off his game offensively, scoring just 24 points with a 7-for-26 effort from the field across the last two games.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley registered his second consecutive double-double with 15 points and a game-high 14 rebounds in Tuesday's 115-104 overtime loss to the New York Knicks. He blocked three shots and dished out three assists, but Mobley had little impact late in the game, when Cleveland fell apart and blew a 22-point fourth-quarter lead. Typically an efficient scorer, Mobley went 6-for-16 from the field and 2-for-8 from downtown during the Eastern Conference Finals opener. He will hope to turn things around in Game 3, where Mobley has a chance to record his first three-game postseason double-double streak since 2024.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell made a big impact on both ends in Tuesday's 115-104 overtime loss to the New York Knicks, leading his team with 29 points and six steals. He also grabbed five rebounds, delivered three assists, and blocked one shot, while going 12-for-23 from the field and 4-for-11 from downtown. Unfortunately for the Cavaliers, Mitchell didn't have much juice left for the latter stages of the game as the team blew a 22-point fourth-quarter lead. The star guard scored just three points after the third quarter. On a positive note, Mitchell has heated up since the start of the last round, and this is unlikely to remain his best outing of the series. In his last eight games, Mitchell has posted averages of 28.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals.

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby returned from injury with a 13-point effort in a 115-104 overtime win in Game 1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Knicks overcame a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter and recorded the largest playoff comeback in franchise history, with Anunoby scoring nine of the team's 14 points in overtime. Across 34 minutes of action, Anunoby added five rebounds, two assists, and one steal to his tally. He played a key role late in the game despite finishing with a 2-for-9 record from the field. Most of Anunoby's points were scored through an 8-for-10 effort at the free-throw line. This was Anunoby's first game in two weeks, and his performance should improve in Game 2 now that he has shaken off some rust.