Did Danhausen jinx Cleveland? Knicks just proved his bizarre ‘curse’ worked

The New York Knicks pulled off a historic comeback on Tuesday night. With less than eight minutes left in regulation, the team trailed the Cleveland Cavaliers by 22 points. Analytics models even gave them a 0.1% chance to win.

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But Mike Brown’s squad closed the game on a 44-11 run, beating Cleveland 115-104 in overtime at Madison Square Garden. It is the largest postseason comeback in franchise history.

Jalen Brunson led the game, finishing with 38 points and six assists. He scored 17 of those points in the fourth quarter and overtime. First-year coach shifted the game by instructing his players to turn the tables and attack James Harden on defense the same way Cleveland was hunting Brunson.

But not everyone is crediting the coaching staff or Brunson’s shot-making, especially a man in face paint, who said it was he for whom the Knicks got the comeback victory. 

WWE superstar Danhausen appeared on ESPN’s NBA Today ahead of tip-off and publicly cursed the Cavs. 

«I do have a special mission I’ve been sent on, and that is for the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight,» he said. «Let them know that they are cursed.»

“They are cursed”

— Danhausen on the Cavs pic.twitter.com/J5Xkb3cFSP

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) May 19, 2026

He then sat courtside at Madison Square Garden in full face paint and a custom New York Knicks jersey to deliver the hex in person. Ironically, his curses work. Earlier in the playoffs, he targeted the Knicks and commentator Stephen A. Smith. New York immediately fell behind 2-1 against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round.

After a fan paid Danhausen on Cameo to lift the hex, the Knicks won eight straight games, blew out the Hawks by 51 points in Game 6, swept their next opponent and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.

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After the final buzzer on Tuesday, Danhausen posted a video on X in a Knicks jersey and said, «I told you the curse was real. The Knicks have won. And Danhausen has won. And now he’s owed courtside seats in between Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner. Yes, that’s right. And then the curse will continue.”

Danhausen did it! 🏀🏀🏀 @espn @WWE @ESPNNBA https://t.co/NTsUn68H7X pic.twitter.com/Rtx7Qly3W7

— Danhausen (@DanhausenAD) May 20, 2026

Another WWE star, The Miz, who is a Cleveland fan and Danhausen’s on-screen rival, dismissed that bizarre curse before tip-off.

«Good thing there are no curses and tonight will prove it,» The Miz posted. «Also it’s one thing to put fake curses on me… but my team? I will end you.» But, Cleveland collapsed in an unexpected fashion that nobody saw coming. 

WWE executives Nick Khan and Triple H praised Danhausen at an employee town hall meeting on Tuesday. They revealed he has become the company’s No. 2 merchandise seller since his February debut at Elimination Chamber. His recent appearances during the NBA playoffs have further expanded his mainstream reach.

Game 2 between the Knicks and Cavaliers tips off Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. It remains to be seen if Danhausen will get the courtside seats he demanded next to Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner. 

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