Cav Your Revenge; Cleveland Cavaliers Fueled By Playoff Loss to New York Knicks
Michael Myers and the Sanderson sisters each sought revenge on Halloween night. One can add Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers to that list come Tuesday.
A demon from Cleveland's past will haunt its hardwood this holiday (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG/TNT) as the New York Knicks will take to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse's floor for the first time since ending their 2022-23 season in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs. The five-game triumph was the Knicks' first postseason series victory since 2013 and offered further playoff disappointment for Mitchell, who was the subject of many a metropolitan trade rumor over the preceding summer.
New York euphoria gave way to Cleveland gloom: the Cavs had reached the NBA postseason with LeBron James on their roster for the first time since 1998 and had high hopes for the playoff with Mitchell joining a collection of young talents brought about by four consecutive seasons away from the bracket ... or at least those left out of the trade to Utah that brought Mitchell there in the first place.
Such underachievement has stuck with the Cavs as they seek to surpass last season's success, as it could well determine if Mitchell sticks around for the long term.
“It’s a big game for us,” primary power forward Evan Mobley said, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “(We) definitely want to go out there and really show our crowd and show our team we’re out here to fight and move forward and keep getting better and I feel like it’s going to be a good game.”
“We definitely want to get this win and put it on them. So we’re definitely getting prepared and ready for that game.”
Evan Mobley (left) and the Cavs were unable to stop Jalen Brunson (11) and the Knicks from earning their first postseason series victory since 2013
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Mobley was one of the most consistent Cavaliers over the five-game ousting, hauling in 50 rebounds before elimination. But the Knicks' paint-dwellers drastically took over the offensive rebounding battle, winning the glass 75-46. Seven difference Knicks pulled in at least 10 second chances in the series, led by 27 alone for Josh Hart.
Fellow starter Isaac Okoro shed no tears when the Knicks were eliminated by the Miami Heat in round two.
“I know (it) stuck with me for a pretty long time,” Okoro said, per Bondy. “It took me a minute to get over it.”
Halloween's game will, ironically enough, start another series, as both sides will make their way to Manhattan after the final Snickers bar is distributed for the latter portion of a home-and-home. Though nothing resembling elimination is on the line over the next two nights, valuable early momentum is up for grabs.
The respective openings to the Knicks and Cavs' seasons have perhaps defined the concept of "trick-or-treat:" Cleveland (1-2) opened the season with a win in New York, as a Mitchell buzzer-beater bested the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. The Cavs have since dropped their first couple at home, including a 125-113 decision to the Indiana Pacers on Saturday. Perhaps preparing him for the fateful doubleheader, Mitchell was held out due to "hamstring soreness."
As for the Knicks (1-2), glimpses of last year's magic were on display in a spirited yet futile comeback against Boston in Wednesday's opening night activities as well as a Friday win in Atlanta that saw them sink 20 three-pointers. A listless 96-87 loss in New Orleans, however, was rather troubling and turned Tuesday's game into a must-win if the Knicks are looking to emerge from an early three-legged road trip with a winning record.
Cavaliers head coach JB Bickerstaff hopes a healthy balance between be reached between revenge and the rest of the season.
"It’s human nature, it’s the competitiveness of the NBA and the guys that make it here. You do not make it if you don't have that competitive edge," Bickerstaff said (h/t New York Basketball on X). "It’s going to be a little bit more on both teams’ minds, that clash that we had in April. Just their human nature, you expect them to perk up a little bit."
