TITLE: Cavaliers, Knicks enter opener believing Finals window is wide open — and possibly brief
SLUG: cavaliers-knicks-finals-window-opener-2025
CONTENT:
NEW YORK — When the Cleveland Cavaliers visit the New York Knicks on Wednesday night (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), both clubs will do so convinced that the clearest path to the NBA Finals in years is directly in front of them — and that it may not stay open for long.
Injuries reshape the East
Season-ending Achilles tears suffered in rapid succession by Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton during last spring’s playoffs have removed three perennial All-Stars from the title picture. Their absence, along with roster cuts made by recent conference champions Boston and Indiana, has left Cleveland and New York as preseason favorites in a thinned-out Eastern Conference.
Cleveland living in the “second apron”
The Cavaliers return Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen and have pushed their 2025-26 payroll to just under $400 million, including luxury taxes. That figure places Cleveland alone in the NBA’s punitive “second apron,” a cap tier that limits roster flexibility.
President of basketball operations Koby Altman acknowledged that maintaining the roster beyond this season could be difficult. “How do you navigate this collective bargaining agreement and the restrictions that we have?” he said. To maximize the current group, the club traded for defensive guard Lonzo Ball and signed multiple reserve centers after Indiana exploited Cleveland’s interior defense last postseason.
Head coach Kenny Atkinson plans to expand Mobley’s playmaking duties, particularly while Garland recovers from toe surgery. The Cavs will also lean on forward De’Andre Hunter, acquired mid-season a year ago, to replace injured wing Max Strus (foot).
New York avoids the penalty — barely
The Knicks have sidestepped the second apron “by pennies” the past two years, preserving trade flexibility, according to team officials. They dismissed longtime coach Tom Thibodeau after a conference-finals run and installed Mike Brown, who has introduced a faster tempo designed to reduce the workload on All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson.
New York supplemented its core by signing prolific reserve scorer Jordan Clarkson and French forward Guerschon Yabusele. The roster already features Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, acquired in 2024 for six first-round picks to bolster defense and pick-and-roll options around Brunson.
Limited time, limited options
While New York retains the ability to package salaries in future deals, the organization’s stockpile of draft assets is depleted. Talks with Milwaukee regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo never progressed over the summer, underscoring the difficulty of another blockbuster.
“Our team is unified and has the continuity needed to do great things,” Towns said. Brown added, “We have a target on our backs. We better bring it.”
Wednesday’s season opener at Madison Square Garden will mark the first test of both franchises’ belief that the moment to reach the Finals is now — and that waiting could shut the door.
Source: ESPN
