The Cavaliers began a three-game road trip in New York against the Knicks on Tuesday night.
In this contest, Cleveland(29-20) trailed by as many as 11 points in the fourth, but they were able to tie the score at 100 with just over two minutes to go. However, New York(26-23) would score the next five points, and with 04.4 seconds left, Donovan Mitchell would miss a driving layup; Evan Mobley would miss a turnaround jump shot, and the Knicks would hold on to defeat Cleveland 105-103 at Madison Square Garden.
Julius Randle had game-highs of 36 points and 13 rebounds to lead the way for the Knicks.
The Cavs have lost three of four, while the Knicks end a four-game losing streak.
Here’s the Great, Not So Great, and the Bottom Line of Cavs’ loss to the Knicks.
The Great:
Jarrett Allen had his 18th double-double of the season as he had a season-high tying 24 points to go along with 12 boards and a block. Allen continues to be a dominant force in the middle for Cleveland.
Donovan Mitchell didn’t shoot it well(9/24 FG), but he did have 24 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and four steals. It felt like he was going to bring the Cavs back in the fourth, but they just fell short.
Not So Great:
First Quarter: The Knicks shot 57% from the field and 67% from deep in the first quarter. New York scored a game-best 34 points in the quarter and led by seven after one. New York’s Randle scored 17 points in the first quarter.
Bench Play: Cleveland only got 12 points from their bench, and they were outscored by New York’s bench 27-12. The Cavs could have used just a little more from the bench against the Knicks.
Bottom Line:
Cleveland just was not at their best against the Knicks, and they just could not get over the hump in the fourth. The Cavs continued to struggle away from the friendly confines of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse as they fell to 9-15 on the road. As said numerous times, they have to be more consistent on the road.
What’s Next:
Cleveland heads to Houston to play the Rockets on Thursday night.
Best of the Rest:
R.J. Barrett had 16 points, and Jalen Brunson added 14 points for the Knicks.
Darius Garland, who had 22 points, four rebounds, six assists, and two steals, recorded his 4,000th point on Tuesday night. Evan Mobley added 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.
