New York Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers Preview: How, Who to Watch in Halloween Haunt

The New York Knicks will face the Cleveland Cavaliers for the first time since their five-game battle in the opening round of last season's NBA Playoffs.

Last postseason offered the New York Knicks one of the sweetest treats they've had in a long time. What tricks do they have up their (lack of) sleeves to get another? 

New York will close out an early three-game road trip on Tuesday night when they open a home-and-home with the Cleveland Cavaliers. It'll be the first meeting between the two teams since the Knicks ended Cleveland's season with a five-game victory in last year's first-round action at the NBA playoffs. The victory was particularly sweet for the Knicks, who dealt Donovan Mitchell another early playoff exit after reportedly pining for his services throughout the preceding summer.

Both sides have struggled to rediscover last season's momentum: the Knicks come into Tuesday's game facing a must-win if they want to earn a winning record on this early trek after dropping a 96-87 decision to the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night in The Big Easy. Cleveland has won in New York this season by using a Mitchell buzzer-beater to top the Brooklyn Nets but has since dropped two in a row, including a 125-113 final to the Indiana Pacers.

New York and Cleveland will do battle again on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden and one more meeting is scheduled for March in Cleveland.

What: New York Knicks (1-2) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (1-2)

Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH

When/Watch: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG/TNT

Who's Favored: CLE -3.5

Keep An Eye On: Josh Hart

If the Knicks had any doubt about Hart's impact on the team during last summer's contract negotiations, all he had to do was leave game film from last year's Cleveland series on management's desk. In a rebounding barrage, New York outpaced the Cavs on the offensive glass by a whopping 75-46 margin, including 17-4 alone in the Game 5 clincher in Cleveland. Hart led the way with 27 alone, which no doubt played a role in the Knicks securing his services for the next five years. He was particularly noteworthy for earning some clutch grabs off the glass in the victorious opener in spite of an ankle injury. The Knicks' bench has been their undeniable strength in the early going. If the Knicks are going to pull off another win in the Rock and Roll Capital of the World, Hart will likely have to jam.

Cav to Watch: Max Strus

Like the "Pawn Stars" before them, the Cavs had a friend who's a bit of an expert in beating the Knicks. Cleveland made no secret of its temporary Miami Heat support when the Knicks' reward for disposing of the Cavs was a trip to South Beach. Strus had the Cavs' back, sinking 17 total triples and shooting over 47 percent from the field over the six-game metropolitan elimination. The Cavs thanked him with a new contract and Strus has rewarded the faith with 13 three-pointers over his opening trio.  

They Said It

'It’s fun. It’s a team we were able to beat in the playoffs. I know from my experience when we lost to Atlanta (in 2021). When we saw them we were extra motivated to go and play them. We know what kind of energy they’re going to bring to the game, but we’re excited, too. I think it’s going to be a good two games.”-Knicks forward RJ Barrett on facing the Cavs after their playoff series (h/t Stefan Bondy, New York Post)

Prediction

Scary things happen on Halloween and the Knicks just might fall victim to it. There's obviously plenty of time to get things right, but doing it on the road in front of a frenzied, angry Cleveland crowd and team isn't the place to do it. Fortunately for New York, there's an immediate chance to make things right. But there are good odds that Tuesday feels like getting fruit in the trick-or-treat bucket.

Cavaliers 108, Knicks 103