KAT had 25 pts on 9-16 shooting (1-3 from 3) and 13 rebounds. Photo courtesy NY Knicks.
The Knicks started off good — with a double-digit lead in the 1st half, and were holding their own against Cleveland in a tie game at 83-83 with 2:10 left in the 3rd quarter — but the Knicks didn’t close the quarter well and the Cavaliers ran away with the game in the 4th in DRUBBING NY 124-105 on a Wednesday night in Cleveland.
The Knicks were without Jalen Brunson (ankle) Mitchell Robinson (injury recuperation rest), Miles McBride (groin), and Cameron Payne (ankle) and playing the 2nd game of a back-to-back in Cleveland, while the Cavaliers had a fully healthy team and 2 days rest.
Is that enough of an excuse to dismiss the results of this game? Cleveland had DRUBBED the Knicks the last time they played, just after the All Star break, after beating NY in a close game at start of the season.
“We missed some shots, gave up some easy ones in transition, so that hurt us,” said coach Tom Thibodeau afterwards.
NY falls to 48-28; Cleveland improves to 61-15.
1. NY Dominates 1st Half — Has 14-Pt Lead
Despite being short-handed with Brunson, Robinson, McBride, and Payne out — and playing the 2nd night of a back-to-back — the Knicks came out with energy and put Cleveland on their heels — taking a 10-pt lead in the 1st quarter.
The Knicks were moving the ball on offense, hitting 3’s in rhythm, and playing good defense. OG hit a 3, Josh Hart hit a deuce, KAT hit a 3, OG hit another 3, Delon Wright hit a J and a 3, and KAT hit a deuce and NY was up 25-15.
Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet hit J’s later in the quarter, and Josh Hart knocked down an open 3 and NY was up 32-21.
Josh Hart shot clock cheese 🧀 pic.twitter.com/WD3aE44vGF
— Knicks Fan TV 🏀🎥📺🏁 (@KnicksFanTv) April 3, 2025
2. NY Leads by 7 Pts at the Half
Cleveland pulled back to within 6 to end the 1st quarter, but the start of the 2nd quarter was more of the same as OG hit a 3 and a deuce, Precious Achiuwa scored consecutive buckets inside, Shamet hit a 3, and OG hit ANOTHER 3 and NY was up 49-35 with 8:24 left in the half.
Consecutive inside drives by Evan Mobley pulled the Cavaliers to within 10 — but NY maintained their lead and upped it to 15 points on a Delon Wright drive with 3:58 left in the half.
But NY didn’t finish the quarter well — Cleveland went on an 8-0 run on multiple buckets by Jarrett Allen and De’Andre Hunter to pull within 7 at the half.
3. Mitchell Leads Cleveland Run at Start of 3rd
Cleveland came out of halftime with continued energy and put the Knicks on their heels. Evan Mobley got inside for free throws, Max Struss hit a 3, and Donovan Mitchell hit a drive and the Cavaliers were within 2 points.
Jarrett Allen got a couple of buckets inside and then Mitchell drained a 3, scored on a drive, and a hit 21-foot step back sandwiching buckets inside by Evan Mobley and Cleveland was up 75-70.
Josh Hart 👌 pic.twitter.com/Wi3o0fKbix
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 2, 2025
4. Tie Game at 83-All with 2 Minutes Left in 3rd
The Knicks fought back — Karl-Anthony Towns drove inside for a dunk on Evan Mobley.
KAT on Mobley’s head! pic.twitter.com/WC3ZGq9dPr
— Knicks Fan TV 🏀🎥📺🏁 (@KnicksFanTv) April 3, 2025
A Josh Hart 3 with 2:17 left in the 3rd tied the game at 83-83.
Josh Hart shot clock cheese 🧀 pic.twitter.com/WD3aE44vGF
— Knicks Fan TV 🏀🎥📺🏁 (@KnicksFanTv) April 3, 2025
5. Knicks Don’t Finish 3rd Quarter Well
But then Darius Garland hit a floater, Delon Wright missed a 3 from the corner, and Isaac Okoro hit a drive and Cleveland was up 87-83. Okoro then stole the ball from Josh Hart and dunked for an 89-83 Cleveland lead.
Landry Shamet missed a 3 and De’Andre Hunter scored inside and Cleveland was up 91-83 just like that. Mikal Bridges got to the line for free throws with 2 seconds left in the quarter, but NY was d0wn 91-85 at the end of the 3rd.
6. Mitchell & Cleveland Run NY Off the Court in 4th
And then Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers took off in the 4th — running the Knicks off the court. Evan Mobley hit a 3 to start the period, then Donovan Mitchell hit a J and Cleveland was up by 11.
Precious Achiuwa fought back with a big bucket inside, and Karl-Anthony Towns hit an 8 footer to pull NY back to within 10 with 8 minutes left.
Turning Point
The Knicks forced a Donovan Mitchell miss, and came up court looking to pull further into it — but Landry Shamet missed a 3 from the corner, Max Strus grabbed the rebound, fed Donovan Mitchell, who hit a 3 down the other end and Cleveland was up by 13 with 7:39 left.
After that everything unraveled for NY.
NY was down 13 with 6:28 left when Jarrett Allen dunked inside, KAT missed a 3, Garland hit a floater and Cleveland was up 107-90.
KAT did his best down the stretch, scoring inside multiple times for NY, but Jarrett Allen was scoring inside for Cleveland with help from DeAndre Hunter and Donovan Mitchell.
It was ugly for NY.
The Boxscore
https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401705669