Do Cavaliers fans have Dave Portnoy to blame for their team’s implosion in the fourth quarter as the Knicks defeated Cleveland in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals?
Cleveland held an extensive lead when the Barstool Sports founder seemed to tempt fate, posting a sarcastic message on X, telling Knicks fans to “keep your head up.”
“As somebody who won a ton of Eastern Conference finals I want to tell Knicks fans not to give up,” wrote Portnoy, who is a well-known Celtics fan. “That looked like a rust game to me. Plus probably over confident after beating a pathetic Sixers team. Long series. Keep your head up. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. You guys aren’t that good but you can still win this thing. Chin up.”
The Knicks proceeded to go on a stunning run in the final quarter, erasing a 22-point deficit in the final eight minutes before pulling away in overtime for a 115-104 win.
Portnoy later followed up the post with one noting that the Knicks had gone on an 18-1 run “since this tweet by the way.”
“I’d also like to point that many people would delete the below tweet, but that is not my style. I will own it. Leaders lead. Credit to me for being accountable,” Portnoy later wrote on X.
The Knicks’ miracle kicked off the team’s second consecutive trip to the conference finals after not having reached the series since 2000.
Dating back to the 1996-97 season, the Knicks were 0-277 when they trailed by at least 22 points in the fourth quarter of a regular season or playoff game prior to Tuesday’s Game 1 win.
Jalen Brunson finished the game with 38 points as he helped lift the Knicks to victory and a 1-0 series lead.
Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.
