Cavaliers vs. Knicks: Which Team Holds the Inside Track in the 2025 East Race?
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The 2025 NBA offseason is winding down, and two franchises—the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks—have emerged as early favorites to control the Eastern Conference next season.
Regular-Season Résumés
Cleveland posted a league-best 64-18 record last year, earning the No. 1 seed. New York finished 51-31, good for third in the East, yet advanced deeper in the playoffs before falling to the Indiana Pacers. Indiana’s outlook has dimmed after All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his Achilles and center Myles Turner left in free agency, removing a major obstacle for both contenders.
Changing Landscape Around Them
Boston, last season’s No. 2 seed, lost Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porziņģis and Luke Kornet, and star forward Jayson Tatum is expected to miss 2025-26 while recovering from an Achilles tear. Orlando upgraded by swapping Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for Desmond Bane and anticipates healthier seasons from Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs, but the Magic still finished 41-41 a year ago. Atlanta added Porziņģis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard and rookie Asa Newell, yet lingering health questions and Trae Young’s unresolved extension keep the Hawks a tier below.
What’s New in Cleveland
Head coach Kenny Atkinson returns after reshaping the Cavaliers’ offense and shrinking star minutes a season ago. The club dealt Isaac Okoro to Chicago for veteran guard Lonzo Ball and allowed Ty Jerome to walk, addressing a need for size in the backcourt while keeping its front-court depth intact. Despite the 64-win campaign, Cleveland’s postseason ended in Round 2 largely because of injuries to Darius Garland (toe) and Evan Mobley, which forced Donovan Mitchell into an outsized load.
Knicks Shift Direction
New York executed the offseason’s most notable coaching move, dismissing Tom Thibodeau and hiring Mike Brown. Brown is tasked with lightening Jalen Brunson’s workload and improving a team that went just 15-23 against opponents above .500. The front office supplemented the roster by signing Jordan Clarkson to bolster bench scoring and adding forward Guerschon Yabusele for front-court depth.
Strategic Priorities
Cleveland may experiment with “playoff-proof” schemes after ranking in the league’s bottom 10 in transition frequency (only 20 percent of possessions). Atkinson’s challenge is to squeeze quicker, easier points without sacrificing the two-big starting lineup. The Cavaliers still value home court after last season’s 34-7 home record—despite dropping all three second-round home games to Indiana.
Imagem: Vivek Jacob via basketballinsiders.org
Brown inherits a Knicks group that shot plenty of corner threes (11th in attempts) but ranked 29th in non-corner volume and 18th in corner accuracy (38.7 percent). Encouraging OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and others to fire above the break—and integrating Clarkson’s shot creation—are early objectives.
Numbers to Watch
- Cavaliers vs. winning teams: 28-11
- Knicks vs. winning teams: 15-23
- Knicks vs. sub-.500 opponents: 36-8
- Cavaliers’ three double-digit win streaks last season: 12, 13 and 14 games
With Boston retooling and Indiana hobbled, Cleveland’s proven system and 64-win pedigree make the Cavaliers the preseason benchmark in the East. New York, banking on Brown’s fresh voice and a deeper bench, aims to close the 13-game gap and push toward the 60-win plateau. Training camps open in early October, giving both teams their first chance to test revised blueprints for an Eastern Conference title run.
Source: Basketball Insiders
