When the Knicks dropped Thursday’s matchup towards the Detroit Pistons — an early preview of the No. 3 vs. No. 6 playoff battle — the defeat felt comprehensible. New York had rested three key cogs in OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart, making the loss palatable.
So when the Cavaliers rolled into Madison Sq. Backyard on Friday night time and opted to relaxation 4 key gamers themselves — headlined by All-Star Donovan Mitchell, together with sixth man De’Andre Hunter and function gamers Ty Jerome and Sam Merrill — the identical logic utilized much more emphatically. In spite of everything, the Cavs, safe because the No. 1 seed, weren’t shedding sleep over a late-season regular-season recreation.
“We just care about ourselves. It’s kind of been our mentality he whole year,” Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson stated forward of tipoff. “We are not manipulating matchups. We never talked about getting the first seed. It’s never this big march to ‘We’ve gotta get to first seed.” It’s like how will we maintain taking these steps”
But, even with Karl-Anthony Cities sitting on the second leg of a back-to-back, the benefit nonetheless clearly tilted towards the Knicks towards an much more shorthanded Cleveland squad.
And initially, New York performed precisely like a workforce capitalizing on alternative, blitzing the Cavaliers early and racing out to a commanding 23-point first-half lead. Then got here the baffling collapse — an unraveling that raises eyebrows simply days earlier than playoff basketball returns to The Backyard. The Knicks squandered their sizable benefit and finally stumbled to a 108-102 loss towards the Cavs on Friday night time.
There was a silver lining, albeit a modest one: The Knicks held agency within the No. 3 seed, thanks completely to the No. 4 Indiana Pacers falling to the Orlando Magic the identical night.
But, the obvious problem stays. New York nonetheless has not managed a single victory towards any workforce sitting above them within the standings this season. Cleveland, very like Boston and Oklahoma Metropolis earlier than them, finalized their season sweep towards the Knicks. New York now stands at a troubling mixed 0-10 towards the NBA’s prime three seeds: 0-4 towards each Boston and Cleveland, and 0-2 towards the Thunder, the highest workforce out West.
Cleveland’s Darius Garland carved by means of the Knicks’ protection effortlessly, dropping 26 factors and dispensing 13 assists on 10-of-17 taking pictures. It marked the second consecutive recreation the place an elite opposing guard shredded New York’s perimeter protection — Detroit’s Cade Cunningham poured in 36 factors the night time earlier than.
The Cavs dominated the glass 49-35, and their bench decisively outperformed New York’s second unit, scoring 36 factors to the Knicks’ 27 — nearly completely from Landry Shamet and Miles McBride.
Jalen Brunson did his finest to hold the offensive load, main the Knicks with 27 factors on an environment friendly 9-of-17 taking pictures efficiency. However with out Cities’ offensive gravity, the Knicks discovered themselves scrambling and sputtering by means of a lot of the second half.
“That’s always the question that everyone has. It’s rest vs. rhythm,” head coach Tom Thibodeau stated forward of tipoff on Friday. “I think each team has to make the decision for what’s best for their team. And in our case, we’re relying on the medical — if a guy needs time right now, he gets it. But until you lock up your seed, you have to keep going. And I think it’s important to understand that. But keep fighting to run through the finish line.”
After leaping out to a convincing 39-24 benefit within the opening quarter, the Knicks faltered badly within the closing body, shedding it 30-16. Such stark inconsistency gained’t suffice in postseason play — significantly for a workforce that just lately got here painfully shut in hard-fought losses to Boston and Cleveland.
Now, the Knicks have one last alternative to course-correct earlier than the playoffs start. They journey throughout city to Barclays Middle for Sunday’s season finale towards the Brooklyn Nets — a workforce undoubtedly desirous to play spoiler, aiming to ship their crosstown rivals into the postseason on a bitter observe.
Fortuitously for the Knicks, Indiana’s stumble ensures their No. 3 seeding stays secure. However with the playoffs looming giant, New York should shortly rediscover the consistency and grit that bought them right here — or danger a short-lived postseason
