The Knicks bounced back from a blowout loss in Game 2 to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3, 99-79, and take a 2-1 lead in the first-round series.
Here are the takeaways…
– After a tough performance in Game 2, RJ Barrett started off strong with a three-pointer and a cutting layup to give the Knicks an early 9-8 lead in front of a rocking Garden crowd seeing their first playoff game in two years. Barrett continued to impress, getting a steal on Donovan Mitchell and scoring in transition. Barrett and Mitchell then traded threes as the Knicks led 17-15 with 1:43 left in the first quarter.
The Knicks and Cavs were tied at 17 apiece at the end of the first, as both teams struggled shooting. New York shot just 1-for-11 from three and Cleveland was barely better at 2-for-12 from deep. Barrett led the way with 10 points, while Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle went a combined 1-for-10 from the field. Mitchell scored nine for the Cavs on 4-for-7 shooting.
– Barrett used his left hand to score inside, and after an Isaac Okoro three, Josh Hart Euro-stepped his way to the rim to give the Knicks a 25-24 lead in the second quarter. Isaiah Hartenstein dunked to put the Knicks up three and then stepped in to block Mitchell at the rim on the following possession. Brunson made just his second bucket of the night on a floater, and after the Cavs’ tenth turnover of the first half, Randle finally made his first shot on a three to go up 32-25. Brunson pushed the lead back to seven and forced Cleveland to call timeout with 4:32 remaining.
– Randle found an open Mitchell Robinson underneath for a two-handed jam and then Brunson got The Garden on their feet with just his third dunk of the season to give the Knicks a 38-27 lead. Immanuel Quickley pushed the lead to 11 with a three-pointer and then connected with Barrett for a dunk with six seconds left.
The Knicks outscored the Cavs 28-15 in the second and led 45-32 at halftime, as Barrett led the way with 14 points and five rebounds. Shooting continued to be an issue for Cleveland, as they shot 31 percent from the field and 10.5 percent (2-for-19) from three. It wasn’t much better for New York, as they shot 42.2 percent from the field and were 21.1 percent (4-for-19) from three.
– Quentin Grimes left for the locker room towards the end of the second quarter while holding his right shoulder. He was diagnosed with a contused right shoulder and was listed as questionable to return, but did not re-enter the game.
– Barrett and Brunson scored on back-to-back possessions early in the third quarter to extend the Knicks’ lead to 51-36, their largest of the night. Randle made just his second field goal with a huge dunk and then Robinson grabbed an offensive board and found Randle for a step-back three. Barrett and Caris LeVert traded threes as the Knicks led 61-50 with 4:50 left in the quarter. Mitchell cut the lead to single-digits, but Hart drained a three to make it a 67-55 game.
Brunson sank a floater with under a minute left and Hart made one of two at the line to give the Knicks a 72-55 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Knicks recorded 20 points off 15 Cavalier turnovers through three quarters, compared to just six points off nine NY turnovers for Cleveland.
– Darius Garland appeared to trip on a cameraman’s foot after missing a layup and tweaked his ankle in the fourth quarter. He checked out of the game briefly, but returned and a hit a three as the Cavs tried to mount a comeback. Obi Toppin made a three and then Quickley connected with him for an and-one alley-oop jam to go up 83-62. Quickley extended the lead with a three and then Hart made it a 24-point game with a putback dunk.
Derrick Rose checked into the game late in the fourth for the first time during the playoffs and received a large applause from the crowd. He connected with Toppin for an alley-oop, but missed all three of his shot attempts.
– New York finished the night shooting 47.0 percent from the field and 30.3 percent from three. They held Cleveland to 38.8 percent shooting (21.2 percent from three) and forced 20 turnovers. Barrett led the way with 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting to go along with eight rebounds in 31 minutes. Brunson had 21 points on 10-for-15 shooting with six assists, four rebounds and two steals. Randle scored just 11 points on a tough 3-for-15 shooting night. Mitchell led the Cavs with 22 points and LeVert had 17 of his own.
Highlights
What’s Next
The Knicks will remain home and take on the Cavs in Game 4 at Madison Square Garden on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
