The New York Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 102-93 in Game 4. Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett led the way for a 3-1 series lead.
Make sure to catch the whole Knicks Fan TV Postgame show on all major podcast platforms below:
• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Stitcher
The New York Knicks took a commanding 3-1 lead in their first-round series, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 102 to 93. Madison Square Garden was packed with raucous energy, even on a Sunday afternoon. The Knicks grabbed an early lead with help from the same players that controlled Game 3.
Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett led the way, but the defense continues to define this series. New York forced Donovan Mitchell to turn the ball over more than he had field goals, held the Cavs to 26.1 percent from three, and dominated the glass. A third-quarter outburst from Darius Garland gave Cleveland hope, but New York extinguished any plans for Cleveland with a dominant fourth.
New York’s depth shined, with contributions up and down the roster. So let’s celebrate by revisiting the performances that left the Garden buzzing.
A pair of star performances lead the way for the Knicks’ starters
Jalen Brunson: 29 PTS (11/22 FG, 5/9 3PT, 2/2 FT), 6 AST, 6 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 4 TO in 42 mins
The Cavaliers tried forcing the ball out of Jalen Brunson’s hands with doubles, traps, and pressure. Unfortunately, they pushed the undersized point guard to an uncharacteristic 4 turnovers in the process. Nevertheless, Brunson scored at will whenever New York needed. The footwork maestro found his range, and his threat to pull up from three meant there was no easy way to contain Brunson.
Brunson beat double-teams with quick, clever passes. He consistently split defenders by passing to cutters down the middle of the lane. RJ Barrett and Josh Hart feasted from the weak side thanks to Brunson swinging the ball or hitting them on cuts.
Things got dicey for Brunson’s defensive play in the third quarter. The Cavs forced Brunson to defend through screens and motion that freed Darius Garland. But tighter rotations behind the second-generation Knick helped cover for his struggles. Overall, Brunson continues to look like the best player in this series and grabs a 4.5 out of 5 for leading the way.
Josh Hart: 19 PTS (7/16 FG, 1/4 3PT, 4/5 FT), 2 AST, 7 REB, 2 STL, 3 TO in 39 mins
Josh Hart started in place of the injured Quentin Grimes and brought all the intangibles that he’s shown off the bench. Hart continually attacked in transition, forcing Cleveland to run as he scored easy baskets. He forced a few shots while looking for foul calls but otherwise made timely buckets and impact plays.
Defense and rebounding are Hart’s main calling cards, and he was great with both. His defense against Donovan Mitchell left the superstar struggling throughout the night. Meanwhile, Hart remained ever-present in the battle for rebounds. He grabbed and chased down any loose ball in his vicinity.
We’re used to these contributions, but it felt like the midseason acquisition took the intangibles to another level. JB Bickerstaff said Hart plays winning basketball, but we already knew that. Josh Hart gets a 4 out of 5 for another fantastic performance (the only nitpick is that he shot 1/4 from three).
RJ Barrett: 26 PTS (9/18 FG, 0/6 3PT, 8/13 FT), 1 AST, 2 REB, 1 BLK in 37 mins
RJ Barrett played the best playoff game of his young career. Barrett started the game with a drive and finish, then continued to beat Cleveland downhill throughout the night. Any hesitance to test the Cavs’ bigs was erased. In fact, Barrett continually drew fouls on Evan Mobley by driving right into his chest. Then, when the lights were brightest in the fourth, Broadway Barrett came through with bucket after bucket.
Incredibly, there is still room for Barrett to build on his performance. He shot 0/6 from three but knocked down a shot in the fourth that was called back due to a travel call before he received the pass. In addition, the youngster left 5 points at the free-throw line. Yet, Barrett’s passing is notable; he’s creating many good looks despite his low assist numbers.
I doubt any player faced more pressure than RJ heading into the home games at the Garden. Despite that, or perhaps spurred by it, Barrett stepped up in a huge way. His defense is also markedly better than the regular season struggles we saw. Broadway Barrett took over the Garden and earned 4 out of 5 for his impact.
Julius Randle: 7 PTS (3/10 FG, 0/4 3PT, 1/3 FT), 1 AST, 2 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 27 mins
It’s impossible to say how much the ankle injury is affecting Julius Randle, but I think it’s clear there’s an issue. He’s not attacking the paint and settling for jumpers that fail to fall. Randle’s inability to demand respect from the defense means he can’t draw defenders to create for others.
Furthermore, Randle’s ankle is slowing down his impacts on defense and the boards. You might never see Randle grab so few rebounds in 27 minutes again. Meanwhile, his defensive rotations were late and often lacked a second effort, even if he got there in time. That left Randle with players shooting over him or flying past before he could help.
Tom Thibodeau said that most players wouldn’t play in Randle’s condition. The coach sat New York’s star big for the entire fourth quarter. I don’t think it’s fair to judge the big man while he’s hobbled, but if he can’t help, sitting until his legs are right is a better option. Randle gets an unfortunate 1 out of 5 for his tough game.
Mitchell Robinson: 12 PTS (5/7 FG, 2/3 FT), 1 AST, 11 REB, 2 BLK in 27 mins
Mitchell Robinson set the tone for New York’s defense by blocking Darius Garland early in the game. I have a bone to pick with the scorekeepers because it felt like Robinson blocked far more than the two shots he was rewarded for. The Block Ness Monster patrolled the paint, erasing the Cavs’ guards and wings from efficacy inside for the entire first half.
Mitch did damage offensively as well. He grabbed a ridiculous seven offensive rebounds, often cleaning up after Knicks’ ball-handlers drew a crowd and couldn’t finish. There were times when three or four Cavs surrounded Mitch, and he still got the board.
Cleveland found brief success with Jarrett Allen setting screens far from the hoop. That dragged Mitch out of position to protect the rim in time. But the success was fleeting, and Mitch looked dominant upon returning with minutes left in the fourth. The big man gets a 3.5 out of 5 for his game-altering presence.
Clutch play propels New York’s second unit
Immanuel Quickley: 0 PTS (0/4 FG, 0/2 3PT), 1 AST, 2 REB in 19 mins
Immanuel Quickley continues to struggle in search of a rhythm. He’s not letting shots fly as free and loose as usual. Instead, his hesitance allows defenders to get into position. IQ’s forays inside felt non-existent as he pulled up short and reset too often.
But while Quickley’s offense is disappointing, his defense has looked tremendous. Darius Garland’s third-quarter explosion came to a halt when IQ checked in. The 6MoY contender locked onto Garland and never let him have another easy lane or look.
We’ll need Quickley to play better offensively for the Knicks to find consistent success. But it’s a great sign that his defense is making up for some of his offensive woes. He gets a 1.5 out of 5 for the game, but I hope he’ll snap into gear soon.
Duece McBride: 3 PTS (1/1 FG, 1/1 3PT), 1 REB in 5 mins
Miles McBride played limited minutes in the second quarter but earned some notes. His defense on Donovan Mitchell looked better than even Josh Hart’s. He forced Mitchell into difficult shots and late passes. Deuce added a three-pointer like a cherry on top of an already sweet performance.
Obi Toppin: 5 PTS (2/5 FG, 1/3 3PT), 1 AST, 8 REB in 20 mins
Obi Toppin stepped up and filled in for some of the production New York didn’t get out of hobbled Randle. That’s particularly clear in Obi’s 8 rebounds. Toppin got after the boards, tallying 5 offensive boards, including a couple he had to chase down. Obi’s defense was markedly better than Randle’s as well.
But I want to spend time on offense. Toppin’s first field goal was a three-pointer from deep behind the arc. His confidence in that shot looks firm. He added a nice layup he created for himself off the dribble later. Both are the types of field goals we wouldn’t expect from Obi at the start of this season.
Toppin gave New York 20 minutes of solid basketball. He’s providing help and buying Randle time to heal up. The former top-10 selection earns a 3 out of 5 for an enormous contribution.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 1 PT (0/1 FG, 1/2 FT), 2 AST, 8 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK, 2 TO in 21 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein’s stats look okay, but his impact felt more prominent than the already solid production. I-Hart felt like a menace, blocking a dunk at the rim for what felt like the fourth time in as many games. In addition, his drop coverage led to a couple of steals and a pair of blocks on the night.
Hartenstein’s best defense came in the fourth quarter. He spelled Mitchell Robinson and held down the paint while New York put the game away. Big Hart seemed to slow down a bit later in the quarter, but the damage had been down, and Mitch came in to seal the game. The pair have been nothing short of fantastic all series long.
Despite his lack of registering a field goal, I’m giving Hartenstein 3 out of 5. This is because the big man did everything else, most notably protecting the paint.
An unexpected adjustment makes a huge difference for Tom Thibodeau
Nothing tells me how serious Tom Thibodeau is about winning like benching Julius Randle for the entire fourth quarter. We’ve seen Thibodeau stick with Randle through the lowest lows, the loudest boos, and some of Obi Toppin’s most promising performances. But with a series lead on the line, Thibodeau finally sat Randle instead of letting the big man flounder.
That’s an adjustment that I would never have predicted. Thibs made many simple changes that got significant results for game 3. But it’s the rotation shift that won him game 4. He’s riding hot hands, trusting players like Obi and McBride, and taking risks that he seemed opposed to for most of his career in NY. Is this playoff Thibs?
The coach gets a 5 out of 5 for his adjustments, timeouts, and substitutions. This was a masterclass that left Cleveland no room to breathe.
Closing Thoughts
I’ve called the Garden a magical place a few times in the past. It’s Disney World for sports fanatics, with stars and former Knicks legends dotting the crowd. However, the audience brings the arena to life in ways you won’t see at many other locations. The Garden Crowd chanted defense on the first possession of game 3, and they never stopped cheering and chanting for the Knicks.
It’s been two decades with opportunities to witness this energy few and far between. I’m old enough to remember a shift from “everyone wants to play at the Garden” to “who would want to play for the Knicks” being league mottos. I’ll point to these past two games as all the evidence we need to show why MSG has always been a special destination.
That’s where my excitement only begins. This magic was a yearly ritual during the 90s. New York’s core is all likely to return; they have the potential to bring back that yearly consistency so another generation of fans never forgets that THIS is what New York Basketball feels like.
We return to Cleveland for New York’s first chance to close the series. Getting this far was a challenge, but closing is even more challenging. Let’s see how the Knicks hold up. I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. And in case you missed it, check out CP’s interview with Hall of Fame Broadcaster, Mike Breen!
