The New York Knicks take Game 1 by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 101-97 thanks to big performances from Brunson, Randle, and Hart.
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 started their playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 101 to 97 win. Game one carried all the hallmarks of playoff basketball; physicality and defense ruled the day, while star players brought their offenses.
Donovan Mitchell looked impossible to stop, but Jalen Brunson kept pace, only slowing when foul trouble kept him off the floor. Julius Randle and Josh Hart helped Brunson with scoring, but the most significant factor of the night was rebounding. With both teams shooting poorly, second chances were crucial, and New York won the battle of the boards 51-38.
The Knicks took the momentum from Cleveland to start the series; let’s look closely at their hard-fought victory.
Leaders step up for New York’s starting line-up
Jalen Brunson: 27 PTS (11/24 FG, 1/4 3PT, 4/4 FT), 2 AST, 2 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 30 mins
Jalen Brunson carried the Knicks’ offense for chunks of the game, including the final few minutes. He looked poised for a big night early, getting into the lane and scoring with ease to start the game. But Brunson picked up a pair of quick fouls that cut his first quarter short, then sat again after picking up his third foul in the second.
Nevertheless, it felt like a matter of time before Brunson took over. He made up for foul woes with a monstrous third quarter. While he cooled off in the fourth, the Knicks’ leader consistently came through with crucial buckets. He made New York’s last two field goals to keep a four-point lead intact with 35 seconds left in the game.
Brunson’s playmaking for others was limited due to his teammates’ poor shooting. And his defense was good enough, but nothing special. But with points challenging to come by, his 27 were massive. Whenever it seemed like Donovan Mitchell might take over, Brunson had an answer. As a result, Brunson gets a 4 out of 5 for leading New York to the road win.
Quentin Grimes: 5 PTS (1/4 FG, 1/4 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 5 REB, 1 BLK in 27 mins
Quentin Grimes had a tough playoff debut. He looked tight, missing open jumpers and passing up opportunities to drive at Cleveland’s defense. Even his lone field goal looked funky as it banked in.
But Grimes made up for poor shooting with defense. He never let ball handlers have easy looks, although he ran into some unstoppable offense from Donovan Mitchell. The Knicks’ sophomore battled, and his five rebounds were needed.
It’s no surprise that Grimes seemed caught up in the moment’s pressure. His first taste of playoff basketball came in hostile territory, and he was matched against a superstar. But he knocked down the last two free throws of the game, coming through in the clutch. With that, Grimes earns a 2 out of 5, but I expect improvement as he gets comfortable.
RJ Barrett: 7 PTS (2/12 FG, 1/5 3PT, 2/2 FT), 6 AST, 4 REB, 4 STL, 1 TO in 31 mins
I’ve spent all season begging RJ Barrett to find ways to contribute to wins beyond scoring. He needed to do just that in this game because his shooting was atrocious. Barrett’s struggles from three carried over from the end of the season, and he couldn’t even get bunnies to fall even when he got to his spots inside.
But the game wasn’t a complete disaster for Barrett. He picked his performance up with smart passing and great defense. RJ played passing lanes well, picking off four steals he turned into transition opportunities. His size made his shot contests tougher to shoot over than Grimes or Hart. So, when Barrett occasionally stuck with Mitchell or Garland, his challenges succeeded in forcing missed shots.
The Knicks need RJ to shoot better for any sustained success. We know he’s capable of scoring, especially against smaller mismatches that he failed to capitalize on this time. However, the fact that he stepped up his defense and passing are promising signs that he can make significant contributions when his scoring gets on track. Ultimately, Barrett receives a 2 out of 5 despite the poor shooting.
Julius Randle: 19 PTS (7/20 FG, 3/10 3PT, 2/4 FT), 4 AST, 10 REB, 2 STL, 5 TO in 34 mins
Julius Randle played a huge role in keeping the Knicks ahead, while Jalen Brunson sat with foul trouble. Randle knocked down jumpers early, then got to work as soon as Dylan Windler tried guarding his forays inside. The big man forced his way to buckets by overpowering matchups, whether it was Mobley, Windler, or any other Cavalier.
Despite looking great early, it was clear that Randle wasn’t fully back from his ankle injury. The big man looked tired more quickly than usual. So Thibodeau pulled Randle faster and more often than he typically would. We even saw Julius’ offense lose a step in the second half, as shots stopped falling and turnovers compiled.
Randle gutted this game out. His first action in over two weeks came against an elite defense under playoff pressure. Nevertheless, the Knicks’ star managed to score important points, fight to 10 rebounds, and chip in 4 assists. We didn’t see Randle at his best, but he gave everything he could. That’s worth 3 out 5, though he could clean up the turnovers for a better score.
Mitchell Robinson: 6 PTA (3/5 FG), 8 REB, 2 STL in 26 mins
Mitchell Robinson’s game felt quiet in the first half, but he became a difference-maker by the third quarter. The big man battled Jarrett Allen, and the matchup felt like a stalemate for the most part. Both giants earned their points off feeds from teammates and poked rebounds away from defenders to create opportunities for teammates.
That’s the story for the first half; Mitch made his presence felt in the second half. He grabbed offensive rebounds, drew loose ball fouls, and added an emphatic fourth-quarter dunk. All the while, Cleveland left the paint alone, thanks to Blockinson’s presence inside.
Mitch doesn’t have the extensive stat line that Jarrett Allen can boast about. But that’s because Mitch played 18 fewer minutes, with Isaiah Hartenstein providing ample backup. I wonder if Mitch and I-Hart’s fresher legs helped them win offensive rebounds increasingly as the game wore on. Either way, Robinson earns a 2.5 out of 5 for the extra possessions he created.
The Knicks’ second unit comes up big
Immanuel Quickley: 3 PTS (0/5 FG, 0/2 3PT, 3/4 FT), 2 AST, 3 REB, 3 TO in 24 mins
Immanuel Quickley had a nightmare game and looked out of sorts. He couldn’t buy a field goal and turned the ball over more than he assisted his teammates. Nothing says “pressing for offense” like IQ dribbling into trouble and failing to get a shot off at the end of the third quarter.
Now, even though Quickley couldn’t find his rhythm, he didn’t allow that to hamper his teammates. So to his credit, the Sixth Man of the Year candidate reduced his shot attempts and ceded some playmaking to Josh Hart’s hot hand.
The good news is that New York survived despite IQ’s struggles. The bad news is that they can’t afford any more clunkers from Quickley. Hart seemed to hurt an ankle late, so New York’s sixth man is even more crucial today than before. Quickley gets a 1 out of 5, but I hope he shook the jitters out.
Josh Hart: 17 PTS (8/11 FG, 1/2 3PT), 2 AST, 10 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 33 mins
After 372 regular season games, Josh Hart entered his first playoff game hungry. The dynamic wing fought with even more aggression than we’re accustomed to. He drove inside, attacked coast to coast in transition, hit a fading jumper from midrange, then knocked down a go-ahead three with less than 2 minutes left in the game.
Yet, just like in the regular season, Hart’s scoring felt secondary to his crucial rebounding. At just 6’5″, Hart had no business pulling down 5 offensive boards against the Cleveland Giants. But the midseason acquisition chased down everything. His defense also played a significant role in New York’s success.
Hart gave us a scare, going down hard and holding his ankle in the fourth. He visibly limped at times. But this playoff opportunity was a long time coming, and Hart grabbed an offensive board and hit a crucial shot despite the potential injury. Brunson led the way, but his Villanova partner wasn’t far behind. Hart gets a 3.5 out of 5 for playing winning basketball.
Obi Toppin: 9 PTS (3/4 FG, 1/2 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 4 REB, 1 TO in 14 mins
With Julius Randle back, Obi Toppin’s minutes dropped fast. But Obi carried his confidence from the end of the season and was a vital contributor with limited time. He beat the Cavs in transition for a pair of dunks, got to the free-throw line, and knocked down a corner three to boot.
Obi also grabbed rebounds at a solid clip for his short minutes. He afforded Julius Randle some much-needed rest and could have contributed more with extra time to work. Obi gets a 3 out of 5 for serious production in low minutes.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 8 PTS (2/3 FG, 4/4 FT), 5 REB in 22 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein came up big with 4 points in each half of this low-scoring affair. His floater made an appearance, and he made free throws count. But I-Hart’s highlight moment was an offensive board with 40 seconds on the clock. The Knicks were up by 2, and Hartenstein grabbed the board, leading to a Brunson jumper for the final field goal of New York’s night.
Hartenstein’s numbers, like Robinson’s, are limited by minutes. However, his performance is greater than the sum of production. New York’s pair of centers managed 14 points and 13 rebounds combined while providing great interior defense. Hartenstein earns 2.5 out of 5 for his part in the big tandem.
Thibodeau staggers minutes in a Knick of time
Tom Thibodeau was forced to stagger his rotation’s minutes more than we saw throughout the regular season. Jalen Brunson’s foul trouble forced Thibodeau to look to Immanuel Quickley sooner, and Julius Randle’s return from injury meant quicker hooks for the big man.
It all worked out, with New York’s constant barrage of fresh legs leading to a dominant performance on the glass. Three of Cleveland’s starters played 43 minutes or more, and a fourth played 38 minutes. By contrast, Julius Randle led the Knicks in minutes played with 34. The playoffs are usually about stars, but Thibodeau capitalized on New York’s depth. The Knicks’ bench outscored Cleveland’s 37-14
Thibs’ one questionable decision was to keep RJ Barrett in for almost the entire fourth quarter. The team might have benefited from Grimes’ spacing at that point. But with the win in hand, it’s impossible to give Thibodeau anything less than a 3 out of 5.
Closing Thoughts
There’s nothing like playoff basketball. The Knicks have made so few trips to the postseason in this millennium that every game feels like magic. The stakes, the intensity, and the pressure reach levels that no regular season could match. But to quote a great New York Knick, “We’re here!”
This week, I had a moment of self-doubt, watching most prognosticators pick Cleveland to win the series. Maybe my fan goggles blinded me to a major advantage that the Cavaliers would use to control the series. But it took one game for the Knicks to reassure me.
These Knicks are special! They have an edge I haven’t seen since Latrell Sprewell’s Tomahawks and Allan Houston’s buzzer-beaters. There’s no other way to explain winning on the road against the best defense in the league while most of their young role players struggled. But finding ways to win is crucial to playoff success, and with Brunson, Randle, and Hart leading the way, I think New York can always find a way.
New York has a chance to take a dominant series lead on Tuesday. The Cavs will be desperate to win at least one at home. Let’s see if the Knicks can continue applying pressure and discuss it with the KFTV family afterward.
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 Game of the Week, Alex and Chris Fedor, Cavs/NBA Reporter for Cleveland Dot Com, preview the Knicks-Cavaliers playoff series!
