The Cleveland Cavaliers will probably wallow in dejection for the next few hours after they blew what looked like an easy win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.
The Cavaliers were on their way to the lopsided victory after erecting a 22-point lead with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter.
The Knicks, however, went on a scorching run, led by Jalen Brunson, to pull the rug from under the Cavaliers, 115-104, in overtime. It was the second-largest fourth-quarter comeback in the history of the playoffs.
On “Inside the NBA,” Charles Barkley did not hold back on the Cavaliers.
“I take my job very seriously. I don’t like to get on TV and say people choked. But that was a damn choke job. I’m gonna say it now. I’m very selective when I say it,” said Barkley.
“They had a 22-point lead, and they just started milking the clock.”
“That was a damn choke job.”
Charles Barkley speaks on the Cavs' fourth-quarter collapse in Game 1 😅
(via @ESPNNBA) pic.twitter.com/SnFnWGjKTa
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 20, 2026
The Hall of Famer noted that Cleveland deviated from the game plan in the fourth quarter, while also criticizing coach Kenny Atkinson for not calling a timeout sooner when the Knicks were making their inspired fightback.
“You show those highlights in the beginning, the ball was moving, everybody was getting wide-open shots. You go back and look back at the first six to eight minutes of that fourth quarter, and they were just going one-on-one, the shot clock was on their back every single time,” added Barkley, who carried the Phoenix Suns to the NBA Finals in 1993.
Donovan Mitchell had 29 points, five rebounds, three assists, and six steals to lead the Cavaliers. He, however, only totaled three points in regulation and overtime.
James Harden struggled with 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting, including 1-of-8 from three-point range.
Cleveland will look to bounce back in Game 2 on Thursday.