Knicks at Cavaliers: Three Stars From A Crucial Game 1 Victory

There was no shortage of heroes in the New York Knicks' Saturday night triumph over the Cleveland Cavaliers, one that gave them a 1-0 lead in their opening round showdown in the NBA Playoffs.

The New York Knicks opened a new factory of sadness on Saturday night in Cleveland.

Back in the NBA playoffs after a one-year absence, the New York Knicks raised the volume in The Rock and Roll Capital of the World to the tune of a 101-97 victory as part of the first day of official postseason action. New York owns a lead in a playoff series for the first time since the end of their opening round series against Boston in 2013, which stands as their last advancement to date. 

Honorable Mentions

• Isaiah Hartenstein: 8 points, 5 rebounds
• Mitchell Robinson: 8 rebounds
• Obi Toppin: 9 points, 4 assists

3rd Star: Julius Randle

(19 points, 10 rebounds)

His participation confirmed less than an hour before tip-off, Randle lived up to his All-Star billing with hardwood quarterback Jalen Brunson forced to the bench with early foul trouble. Randle was far and away the Knicks' offensive start in the opening frame, sinking 6-of-10 and scoring 17 points en route to a 50-45 lead at intermission.

The Randle that Knicks fans had to deal with during the futile 2021 series against Atlanta lingered in the second half to the tune of rushed shots that produced a 1-of-7 tally over the final 24. But Randle completed a double-double effort in the grandest way possible, boxing out Evan Mobley to haul in a would-be Brunson sealer with 10 seconds remaining and getting it to Quentin Grimes, whose subsequent free throws created the final margin.

"You can’t say enough about the offensive rebound that Jules got at the end. That was a monster play,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said of Randle's vital board, part of a 51-38 rebounding advantage, per Pete Botte of the New York Post. “One thing about (Cleveland) is that they’re long and they’re athletic and they’re also quick to the ball. So you’ve got to get a body to them. For us, it’s one of the things we do well. We’ve been a good rebounding team all year. We know that’s a big part of our game. And we’re going to have to continue to do it.”

2nd Star: Jalen Brunson

(27 points, 11-of-24 FG)

It's the same battle in new colors ... on its way to, the Knicks certainly hope, the same result.

Faced with another postseason set against Donovan Mitchell, Brunson seemed destined for a mere cameo in the first act of the sequel after getting into early foul trouble, charged with two in the first and a third in the fledgling stages of the second. But, like so many other occasions this season, Brunson justified his massive contract brought about by prior postseason heroics and then some, putting all but six of his points in over the final 24. 

A dozen came in the third period that saw the Knicks build and maintain a consistent lead, and between two assists that led to triples and a steal that created an Obi Toppin dunk, Brunson was responsible for 20 of the 28 points New York put up in the frame.

1st Star: Josh Hart

(17 points, 8-of-11 FG, 10 rebounds)

Forced into five years of watching the playoffs despite NBA employment, Hart broke his postseason virginity in style on Saturday. 

Hart, along with Immanuel Quickley, helped took a bit of a muted prescience in the early going, helping the Knicks plug along with a Brunson-style offensive pace as they established their halftime lead. But Hart kept his defensive prowess rolling, doing what he could to help hold old NBA Draft prep friend Donovan Mitchell in check. Mitchell did his part to the tune of 38, but the Knicks withstood that punch thanks in part to a 5-of-12 output in the final period.

"He’s a playmaker,” Thibodeau said of Hart, per The Post. “He’s going a make hustle plays, make tough plays. He’s a great competitor and he just plays to win. There’s no agenda other than winning with him.”

Guts defined Hart's final minutes in relief on Saturday: at first it appeared like he'd need a substitute of his own with the Cavs inching back in and his ankle ailing from a futile attempt to rip a rebound away from Jarrett Allen. Instead, he sank the triple that pushed the lead into the visitors' corner for good and followed that up with a successful rebuttal on the defensive end, likewise punctuating his double-double with a vital exclamation point.  

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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