Feb 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) shoots over the protection of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) through the first half at Rocket Enviornment. Necessary Credit score: Ken Blaze-Imagn Photos The New York Knicks did not need to present the Detroit Pistons an excessive amount of Thursday evening in a possible preview of a first-round matchup within the NBA playoffs.
However the Knicks actually may use a statement-type effort Friday evening after they shut their house schedule by internet hosting the Jap Convention-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.
Each groups will full a back-to-back set after struggling street defeats Thursday evening, when the Knicks fell to the Pistons 115-106 and the Cavaliers misplaced to the Indiana Pacers 114-112.
The Knicks (50-30) may have clinched the third seed within the East with a win Thursday and can attempt once more to take action on Friday. New York is one recreation forward of the fourth-place Pacers (49-31) and has the tiebreaker by advantage of profitable the season sequence 2 video games to 1.
With the sixth-seeded Pistons their most definitely playoff opponents, the Knicks handled Thursday’s conflict as a glorified exhibition. Starters OG Anunoby (thumb), Josh Hart (knee) and Mitchell Robinson (upkeep following ankle surgical procedure) sat out.
Jalen Brunson performed his third straight recreation since coming back from a 15-game absence because of sprained proper ankle, although he performed simply 29 minutes, his smallest workload since Feb. 21 in a loss to the Cavaliers.
Brunson noticed solely slightly extra enjoying time than 39-year-old P.J. Tucker, who performed 27 minutes in simply his second look this season. Brunson scored 15 factors.
“You have simply received to be able to play,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau stated. “Whoever they’ve on the market, whoever we have now on the market, that is the problem that you simply’re going through proper now.”
The Cavaliers (63-17) additionally had been in tune-up mode Thursday evening, two nights after they clinched the highest seed within the Jap Convention by beating the Chicago Bulls 135-113.
Afterward, Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson acknowledged he would possibly present some liberal relaxation down the stretch to key gamers, particularly main scorer Donovan Mitchell, who suffered a sprained left ankle in a 120-113 loss Sunday to the Sacramento Kings.
“I would slightly him err on the facet of warning,” Atkinson stated Tuesday evening.
Mitchell sat out his second straight recreation Thursday, when fellow starters Darius Garland (left toe), Evan Mobley (relaxation) and Max Strus (proper knee) additionally had been inactive.
Jarrett Allen, who made his eightieth begin in as many video games, was joined within the lineup by reserves De’Andre Hunter, Ty Jerome, Sam Merrill and Dean Wade, who’ve made a mixed 41 begins this season.
However even with the piece-meal lineup, the Cavaliers practically overcame a six-point deficit within the last three minutes earlier than Jaylon Tyson missed a possible game-tying jumper on the buzzer.
Even going through a diminished roster Friday would offer a useful alternative for the Knicks, who’re 0-3 in opposition to Cleveland this season and 1-10 mixed in opposition to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets, who’ve the 4 finest data within the league.
Eight of these defeats have been by at the least 10 factors, together with the Knicks’ two most up-to-date losses to the Cavaliers — Feb. 21, when Cleveland rolled to a 142-105 win, and April 2, when New York fell 124-105.
–Subject Degree Media
