Cavaliers clamp down in third quarter to pull away from Knicks 109-94
cavaliers-clamp-down-third-quarter-to-beat-knicks
The Cleveland Cavaliers used a dominant defensive stretch after halftime to defeat the New York Knicks 109-94 on Tuesday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Key moment: Cleveland limited New York to just 11 points in the third quarter, holding the visitors to 3-for-24 shooting over those 12 minutes. The surge turned a six-point halftime lead into a 20-point cushion the Cavaliers never surrendered.
Balanced scoring fuels Cleveland
Guard Donovan Mitchell paced the Cavaliers (37-22) with 23 points, while newly acquired guard James Harden added 20. Center Jarrett Allen recorded 19 points and 10 rebounds for his latest double-double. Evan Mobley and rookie Jaylon Tyson each scored 12, and Dean Wade contributed 11 on 3-of-5 from long range.
Rebounding battle even
After being outrebounded in earlier meetings at Madison Square Garden, Cleveland matched New York on the glass, 44-44. Allen secured 10 boards, Wade and Tyson grabbed eight apiece, and Mobley collected seven.
Atkinson credits Harden’s impact
Head coach Kenny Atkinson said Harden’s arrival on Feb. 6 has lifted the team’s confidence. “Bringing in James has given us a renewed confidence. We understand we’re a better team, and that spirit makes you play harder,” Atkinson said.
Allen echoed the sentiment, noting that Harden “elevated my game.”
Knicks struggle from the field
New York (37-22) received 20 points from Jalen Brunson, but the guard shot 6-for-19. The Knicks and Cavaliers are now tied for third place in the Eastern Conference with 23 games remaining.
Looking ahead
The Cavaliers departed for Milwaukee shortly after the win to begin a quick road trip. Mitchell said the group has practiced only twice since Harden’s acquisition and is still relying heavily on film study.
Source: Hoops Wire
