Knicks Rally on Christmas Behind Bench Spark and Brunson’s Late-Game Heroics
Madison Square Garden delivered another holiday classic, and this one had all the drama you could ask for. The Knicks were down 17 in the fourth quarter.
The Cavaliers looked like they were about to notch a statement win. But then New York flipped the switch - and it wasn’t just the stars who did it.
This was a total team effort, with the bench stepping up in a massive way and Jalen Brunson doing what he does best: closing.
Let’s break it down.
Brunson Delivers When It Matters Most
If you’ve watched Jalen Brunson over the last year, you know this much: when the game gets tight, he gets better. The reigning Clutch Player of the Year showed exactly why he earned that title, pouring in 13 of his 34 points in the final frame. His pull-up three with just over a minute left gave the Knicks the lead for good - a cold-blooded shot that capped a furious rally and had the Garden rocking.
Brunson has become the heartbeat of this Knicks team. He’s not just a scorer - he’s a stabilizer.
When things get chaotic, he brings calm. When the offense stalls, he finds the cracks.
And when the moment gets big, he never shrinks.
The Bench Brings the Fire
But let’s not get it twisted - this win wasn’t Brunson’s alone. The Knicks’ bench was the story of the night. Jordan Clarkson, Tyler Kolek, and Mitchell Robinson were nothing short of electric.
Clarkson dropped 25, giving the Knicks a much-needed scoring punch when the starters struggled early. Kolek, the rookie who’s quickly earning Tom Thibodeau’s trust, added 16 points and dished out nine assists - and more importantly, played with poise beyond his years.
His hustle play to strip Donovan Mitchell on what looked like a sure layup flipped the momentum late. Then, on the very next possession, he chased down a long rebound and fired a perfect outlet to Mikal Bridges for a go-ahead jumper.
And Robinson? He was a wrecking ball on the glass.
Thirteen rebounds in under 17 minutes, eight of them offensive. Every second-chance opportunity he created felt like a gut punch to Cleveland.
His presence in the paint was a game-changer.
This wasn’t just a bench contribution - this was a bench takeover.
A Game of Runs - And Resilience
This one was a rollercoaster.
The Knicks stumbled out of the gate, falling behind 18-3 and getting outscored by 15 in the opening quarter. But they responded with a huge second quarter, fueled by Clarkson’s scoring burst, to take a halftime lead. Then came another dip - Cleveland won the third quarter by 14 and looked ready to put the game away early in the fourth.
But the Knicks didn’t fold.
Robinson’s relentless rebounding, Kolek’s timely shooting, and Brunson’s clutch scoring turned the tide. With under five minutes left, Kolek hit a three after yet another offensive board by Robinson to cut the lead to three.
Moments later, Brunson tied it with a step-back triple. From there, it was back-and-forth until Brunson’s go-ahead dagger and Karl-Anthony Towns’ acrobatic putback sealed the deal with 27 seconds left.
Cleveland Shows Fight, But Can’t Finish
To their credit, the Cavaliers came ready. Donovan Mitchell matched Brunson with 34 points of his own, and Darius Garland added 20.
Evan Mobley, returning from a calf injury, chipped in 14 off the bench in limited minutes. They built a 17-point lead in the fourth - but couldn’t close.
That missed opportunity will sting. Cleveland had control, but let it slip, undone by New York’s energy and execution down the stretch.
Knicks' Depth Is Real - And Dangerous
This is what separates the 2025-26 Knicks from versions we’ve seen in recent years: they’re not just top-heavy. They’re deep. Really deep.
Clarkson, Kolek, Robinson, Landry Shamet, Miles McBride - this group has consistently stepped up when called upon. They’ve each had moments where they’ve swung games.
That’s how you rack up wins in an 82-game grind. That’s how you survive injuries, off nights, and tough matchups.
At 21-9 through Christmas, the Knicks are sitting one game better than they were at this point last year - and they’re doing it with a roster that can beat you in more ways than one.
What’s Next
This was just the opener on a packed Christmas Day slate. Up next, the Spurs and Thunder square off in a budding rivalry, followed by Luka Doncic and the Mavericks visiting the Warriors. Then it’s LeBron James making his 20th Christmas Day appearance as the Lakers host the Rockets, and the Timberwolves take on the Nuggets to close things out.
But for now, the spotlight belongs to the Knicks - a team that showed, once again, that they’ve got the depth, the heart, and the closer to make serious noise in the East.