Knicks Dominate Cavaliers Again, Move Within One Win of NBA Finals
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CLEVELAND — Jalen Brunson poured in 30 points, Mikal Bridges added 22 and the New York Knicks never trailed in a 121-108 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night, seizing a 3-0 advantage in the Eastern Conference finals.
New York, aiming for its first NBA Finals berth since 1999, shot 55.8% (43-for-77) from the field, hit 11 of 28 from beyond the arc and converted 24 of 27 free throws. OG Anunoby finished with 21 points, while Landry Shamet buried three 3-pointers in a 99-second burst early in the fourth quarter that stretched the margin to 105-94 and effectively ended Cleveland’s hopes.
The Knicks can complete a second consecutive sweep Monday night. Their current 10-game postseason winning streak makes them only the seventh team in league history to reach double digits in a single playoff run; the most recent was the 2024 Boston Celtics. Nine of New York’s 10 victories have come by double figures, and the club’s plus-225 point differential over that span is the largest in any 10-game stretch in NBA history, regular season or playoffs, according to ESPN Research.
Fast start, steady control
New York opened with a 9-1 burst and closed the first quarter up 37-27 after hitting 12 of 17 shots. Cleveland pulled even at 50-50 on a James Harden jumper, but the Knicks answered with a 10-1 run and led 60-54 at halftime. Brunson scored six points in an 8-1 spurt late in the third quarter to extend the lead to 83-70, and the visitors entered the final period up 91-82.
Cavaliers struggle from long range
Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points and Harden added 21 for Cleveland, which went 12-for-41 from three-point distance and 12-for-19 at the line. The Cavaliers never got closer than nine in the fourth quarter.
Voices from both benches
“This is hard. We’re playing good teams,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “They’ve got four All-Stars and two of the best shooters in the league, plus a fantastic coach in Kenny Atkinson. There’s nothing easy about this.”
Shamet downplayed his critical flurry of triples, emphasizing New York’s defensive commitment: “I’m thinking about guarding an All-Star on the other end. The ball found me a few times and went in. Then we locked in defensively and closed the game out.”
Brunson refused to look ahead to a potential closeout on Monday: “You just deal with what’s in front of you. Make sure everyone’s on the same page and hold each other accountable. That’s the most important thing right now.”
Game 4 is scheduled for Monday night in Cleveland.
Source: ESPN
