Cavaliers 110, Knicks 104: Scenes from a bruising loss at the Garden

Garland’s 34 points and Allen’s double-double nix double-doubles from KAT and Hart.

The New York Knicks (1-2) expected a rock fight when they hosted the Cleveland Cavaliers (4-0) tonight at Madison Square Garden. When two of the league’s top defenses clash, bruises are on the menu.

After a gawdawful first-quarter shooting display by both teams, New York rebounded to outscore Cleveland 34-23 in the second and took a 52-45 halftime lead. Cleveland responded with a 29-point third quarter, cutting it to 78-74, then took the lead in the fourth behind Darius Garland’s 34 points. Cleveland shot 11-of-17 in the final quarter, outscoring New York by ten to secure a 110-104 win.

All five New York starters scored in double digits. Jalen Brunson struggled to collect 21 points, shooting 8-of-24 against Cleveland’s length. Josh Hart posted a 16-13 double-double before a shin injury sidelined him in the fourth, and Karl-Anthony Towns added his own double-double, with 13-points and 10 rebounds. Big minutes for Ariel Hukporti tonight. More on that below.

First Half

Broadsides of barns? The Knicks couldn’t hit ‘em. They missed their first seven three-point attempts, made just 4-of-13 field goals by the 4:30 mark, and committed five turnovers in the first quarter. Their defense—anchored by OG Anunoby—made hay, though, pressuring the Cavs into similarly poor shooting. The teams combined for 15-of-44 from the floor and 5-of-23 from deep in the first quarter. The following sequence epitomizes New York’s efforts so far. At the buzzer, Cavaliers led 22-18.

Sloppiness carried into the second quarter. Jalen Brunson finally sank his second basket of the night, and even that was hard-won. Needing more height down low, coach Tom Thibodeau sent rookie Ariel Hukporti in around the nine-minute mark. The big man got right into the mix, velcroing to Evan Mobley and forcing him away from the rim to disrupt this shot.

After trailing by seven in a messy first quarter, the Knicks took the lead with a Josh Hart triple at 7:30. A 9-0 run, tenacious minutes from Hukporti and Hart, and a Mikal Bridges pick-six pushed their lead to nine. Donovan Mitchell led a Cleveland comeback, however, and narrowed New York’s advantage to 52-45 by halftime.

At halftime, New York led in rebounds (10 from Hart) and points in the paint, 30-22, while both teams shot only 25% from deep. Deee-fense!

Second Half

The Knicks opened the second half sloppily, with early offensive fouls from Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart. Their defensive intensity held, though, and when the shots started falling—Bridges hit brilliantly from mid-range—the Knicks built 13-point lead.

Thibs rewarded Hukporti’s strong first-half minutes by subbing him in for a tired Towns with five minutes left. Jericho Sims’ spot on the depth chart could be at risk (he played just four minutes). Behind Darius Garland and Evan Mobley, Cleveland put up 29 third-quarter points, trimming their deficit to 78-74.

Cleveland’s defense, great ball-movement, and a 10-2 start put our heroes behind by four to start the fourth. With a sizable chunk of game remaining, this presented a defining moment for the club in these early days of the season. Would they let the Cavs steal victory from their hands?

At a critical juncture, Thibs trusted a lineup of Brunson, McBride, Hart, Anunoby, and Towns, and subbed in Hukporti when KAT needed a breather. Big minutes for the rookie! Shortly after, Hukporti rolled off a pick for a huge dunk that was nullified by an offensive foul call. The basket didn’t count, but the big man from Deutschland showed he can handle the pressure.

Josh Hart banged shins with Caris LeVert and retreated to the locker room as the clock dwindled. Meanwhile, Brunson tried to take charge, but Garland was cruising and the Cavs’ length caused New York problems. The Knicks had opportunites, but each one seemed to fall just short. They were down by four with two minutes left and basically traded free throws from there.

Up Next

Professor Miranda is roasting your recap to perfection in the oven. The Knicks will start a four-game road strip, heading first to Miami to face the Heat on Wednesday. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score