2 Cleveland Cavaliers Adjustments That Will Decide Game 3 vs. New York Knicks

There is a lot at stake for the Cavs on Saturday night, and these two adjustments could help Cleveland get a win.

May 21, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts after being called for a foul as New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby (8) looks on during the fourth quarter of game two of the eastern conference finals of the 2026 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers have a massive fight ahead of them in Game 3 on Saturday night, and something needs to change.

After suffering another soul crushing loss to the New York Knicks in Game 2, it’s more than apparent that Cleveland has to make some changes to their game if they want to get on the board with a win in this series.

Whether it’s offensively or defensively, allowing the Knicks to sneak back into these games and put them out of reach is what’s killing the Cavs. They have New York’s number through the first three quarters, but they have slowly let them run away with the game from then on.

It’s going to take everything in Cleveland’s arsenal to defend home court and pick up a win. With these two adjustments, they may just have a chance to make that happen.

Keep the ball moving, spread the floor more

Multiple times throughout the playoffs, Cleveland looks like they are rushing through possessions, even when they are winning comfortably.

That was one of the biggest reasons why they fell victim to an all-time collapse in Game 1. They weren’t even passing the ball thoughtfully, as they continued to look overwhelmed when they should have been calm.

No matter how much they’re winning, there is no reason to psych themselves out, considering how Madison Square Garden responded to that run by the Knicks. Keep possession, don’t turn the ball over, and spread the floor.

You can see how successful the Cavs are when they find a rhythm on offense, because they actually distribute the ball evenly without forcing shots. Cleveland fell into a rut in Game 2 where the shots were there but couldn’t seem to hit their shots.

That could be a mental issue, but it also speaks to how one dimensional their playing as of late. Utilize both your bigs in Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, especially with how the two of them have been playing lately.

Start Max Strus over Dean Wade

Dean Wade just hasn’t been the guy for Cleveland when it comes to starting games from the opening tip.

Strus did play more minutes in Game 2 than Wade did, but what has been exhausting for the Cavs is that New York starts off the game firing on all cylinders. Cleveland needs to do that by adding Strus to their starting rotation.

His Game 2 performance was nothing to make note of, but it felt like he wasn’t being played at the right time. The time is now for the Cavs to put all the cards on the table and let the Strus loose.

Wade and Strus both play their own style of defense, which is a solid reason why Wade has been seeing minutes as a starter. But Strus brings intensity and tenacity, which I think he finds in himself when the Cavs bet on him.

Give him time to heat up, and playing at Rocket Arena on a Saturday night should be a boost for Strus to find his groove and help Cleveland fight for a win.