The New York Knicks had mixed results in their season opener against Eastern Conference rivals. Next, they’ll test themselves against the Cleveland Cavaliers, whom they previously defeated in the playoffs but who are now off to a strong start this season. The Knicks aim to hand the Cavaliers their first loss when they meet on Monday.
The Knicks have been off since Friday, when they secured a 123-98 victory over the Indiana Pacers, thanks to a decisive second-quarter run. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, are coming off a 135-116 win against the Washington Wizards on Saturday.
This win over the Pacers was a form of redemption for the Knicks, who lost to Indiana in a seven-game Eastern Conference semifinal series in May. The Knicks had four 20-point scorers—Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart—and shot 44.4% from three-point range. This was a marked improvement from their previous game, where they lost 132-109 to the Boston Celtics and allowed them to tie a league record with 29 three-pointers.
The Cavaliers are off to a 3-0 start this season, outscoring their opponents by an average of 20.3 points per game, second only to the Golden State Warriors. They haven’t started 4-0 or better since the 2016-17 season. In their recent back-to-back games, Cleveland only trailed the Wizards for 14 seconds and pulled away with a 36-20 run in the third quarter, leading by as many as 27 points in the fourth.
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 30 points, while Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland each added 23 points. Mitchell is currently pacing the team with an average of 23.3 points per game. Monday’s game will be a compelling clash as both teams seek to assert their early-season dominance.
