Brad Penner, USA TODAY SPORTS
Killer B's: Knicks' Brunson, Barrett Clip Cavs, Lead 3-1
The New York Knicks' killer b's brought their A-game when it mattered most.
Thanks to the efforts of Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett, the New York Knicks are one win away from their first NBA playoff advancement in a decade after a 102-93 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Behind a united 54 points from Brunson (29) and Barrett (26), the Knicks took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven set.
Sunday's game might as well have been an offensive explosion compared to the other games in the series, though the Knicks held Cleveland out of triple-digits for the third time. A defensive crackdown paced by newly-minted starter Josh Hart led the way on the other hand, with the Cavaliers' offensive struggles perfectly defined by the performance ... or lack thereof ... of Donovan Mitchell.
The former Utah superstar, once desperately sought by the Knicks over the summer, scored only two points in the second half, part of a 5-of-18 outing from the field. Those shots only came, of course, when Mitchell was able to hold onto the ball: he was responsible for half of Cleveland's 12 turnovers.
Hart, a newly-minted starter in place of the injured Quentin Grimes, also did his part on the offensive end, putting in 19 and hauling in seven rebounds. That was part of a vital glass advantage of the Knicks, who earned 17 second-chances compared to Cleveland's seven, affording the Knicks a nine-point advantage in second opportunities at 21-12.
Mitchell Robinson was the headliner in the interior attack, pulling in 11 rebounds (seven offensively) to go with 12 points.
Brunson wasted no time giving his new adoring public something to cheer about, scoring 11 immediate points in the first quarter to put the Knicks ahead 30-23 at the end of the first, matching their highest scoring period of the 2023 postseason to date (along with the opening frame of Game 1 and final quarter of Game 2). Familiar defensive antics broke out in the second, though a Brunson triple capped off a 16-8 run over the first seven minutes, one that put the Knicks ahead by their largest of the afternoon at 15. A late push from Cleveland's bench, namely Isaac Okoro and Cedi Osman, trimmed the lead to nine at the halftime break.
That stretch was a sign of things to come for the Knicks, whose seemingly safe advantage was penetrated by Darius Garland. The Game 2 scoring hero, held in check during Friday's 20-point win, defined the Cleveland offense in the third quarter by getting involved in all but four of their 26 points in the frame, scoring 11 on his own and assisting on five more converted baskets. The Cavs took the lead on an 18-7 run but the Knicks wrangled it back at 73-71 with another Brunson deep ball with six seconds remaining.
Even as Garland continued to lead the Cavs' offensive work, scoring 10 more over the final dozen, he was no match for a united team effort from the Knicks. Brunson's fateful three turned out to be the final turning point. Barrett carried on his resurgence with 10 points, hitting all four attempts from two-point range while Obi Toppin took over for Randle, who sat out the whole fourth while continuing to nurse the ankle injury that cost him the final five games of the regular season.
Toppin and Hart united for four offensive boards, the latter pushing his last to Brunson who, appropriately, sank the dagger triple, re-establishing a double-figure lead with just under two minutes remaining. While the Knicks' final offensive showing wasn't exactly groundbreaking, Brunson continued to live up to the expectations of a $104 million contract, hitting five of the team's eight successful three-pointers.
Cleveland basketball is perhaps best known for its 3-1 comeback against Golden State en route to its first-ever NBA title in 2016. Supported by his second half performance, where he scored all but two of his 23 points, Garland led the way for the Cavaliers' offense. With Mitchell held in check, no Cavalier had more than 14 points (Jarrett Allen and Caris LeVert).
The Knicks have their first chance for a clinch on Wednesday night when the series returns to Cleveland (7 p.m. ET, MSG/NBA TV).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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