Unlucky bounce: Sam Merrill's missed three dooms Cavaliers in ECF Game 1 collapse against Knicks

Perhaps it was another case of Cleveland's bad sports luck. Remember, this is a city that has had numerous postseason collapses, including "The Drive" and "The Shot." 

Cleveland's basketball team had another on Tuesday night. The Cavaliers entered the third quarter leading 83-69. With 7:44 remaining in the fourth quarter, New York trailed 93-71. 

The Knicks then went on a 30-8 run. They kept rolling in overtime, securing a 115-104 win.

Knicks guard Jalen Brunson led the charge, scoring a game-high 38 points on 15-of-29 shooting from the field. He also lived up to his "Captain Clutch" nickname, making a game-tying layup before Merrill's missed three.

The Cavs wish they were as clutch as Brunson. They aren't, however, and have now made the wrong kind of history. 

Per NBA Communications, the Knicks' 22-point comeback marks the second-largest fourth-quarter comeback in a playoff game in the play-by-play era (since 1997).

The Knicks, though, wouldn't have completed the unbelievable comeback if Merrill had made that three at the end of the fourth quarter. 

The three-point jumper was one of the defining plays of Game 1. We'll see if it becomes one of the defining plays of the series. Cleveland fans hope not. They've endured enough postseason pain already, including Tuesday night's meltdown.