Cavaliers Make Bold Statement About Eastern Conference Hierarchy

The Cleveland Cavaliers' 142-105 win over the New York Knicks revealed noticeable chasm between the haves and have nots of the NBA's Eastern Conference

Spencer German | Feb 24, 2025

Feb 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) reacts during the second half against the New York Knicks at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

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In some ways the Cleveland Cavaliers have the New York Knicks to thank for where they are today.

A little more than two years ago, the Cavaliers were left reconciling with the embarrassment of a first-round playoff loss to the Knicks. New York needed just five games to dispose of a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Cavs team that hadn't yet found its identity back in April of 2023.

That team wasn't ready for that stage. Center Jarrett Allen even admitted as much with his now infamous "the lights were too bright" quote following the series.

21 months later, it was star guard Donovan Mitchell framing that disappointing moment in a much different light.

"I'm appreciative of it," Mitchell explained. "I think for myself, for us as a group, we needed that. You don't see us get to this point. You don't see a hunger in Darius Garland, I mean you see it, but you don't see the chip on his shoulder, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, myself, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade, if we don't – quite frankly – get embarrassed by New York. Those experiences are humbling. Those experiences are needed."

Mitchell and his teammates still wear that series like a scar. And it was on their minds when they hosted the Knicks on Friday night.

As they've done to much of the NBA this season, Cleveland put the boots to New York in a 142-105 drubbing, flipping the script from two years ago.

Sure the Knicks were missing two important players, in Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson. It's hard to imagine either player swinging the game 30-plus points.

It was also the second night of a back-to-back for New York after an overtime win over the Bulls. Cleveland had the same excuse and even traveled from New York as well and didn't seem too bothered by it.

The Cavaliers entered the night as the top team in the Eastern Conference and very much in the championship contender conversation. They ended the night showing a national audience that the East is a two-horse race.

Even boisterous Knicks homer Stephen A. Smith was willing to accept where his team fits in the hierarchy of the league during halftime of the game. New York is a fun, high-scoring watch during these dog days of winter. They're a distant third, though – both literally and figuratively – to the Cavs and Celtics for teams with a chance to play into June.

Cleveland Cavaliers Postgame Report: Cavs Hammer Knicks in Primetime, Put The League On Notice https://t.co/7ZS7oU4zeF
— Cleveland Cavaliers On SI (@CLECavsOnSI) February 22, 2025

Sports are often used as a metaphor for life. And just like grown adults are a byproduct of their life experiences, these Cavaliers are a byproduct of theirs.

That series against the Knicks two years ago paved the way for Cleveland to toughen up and win a playoff series last year, bring in a new coach in Kenny Atkinson and even pull the trigger on a trade to acquire De'Andre Hunter at the trade deadline earlier this month.

Friday night was the apprentice surpassing the master. The Cavs have left the Knicks and 2023 comfortably behind them. They're onto bigger aspirations.

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