Knicks Coach Praises Cavaliers Offense

The New York Knicks respect their next opponent, the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Mar 3, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) dribbles beside Cleveland Cavaliers guard Max Strus (1) in the second quarter at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks are back in action tonight as they take on the undefeated Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.

The Knicks are looking to start their first win streak of the season after winning their home opener against Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers, but it won't be easy as they take on Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and the Cavs.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is well-aware of the challenges that his team will face in tonight's game.

"It’s a team that’s very potent offensively," Thibodeau said h/t Posting and Toasting. "They can play fast, they can bring it down off the dribble and the bigs on the boards, you’re concerned about that. And so you have to be strong in every area.You have to finish your defense, you have to finish your offense against them. [They] have shot-blocking—they’re a very good team.”

The Knicks can find a lot of similarities between them and the Cavs. After beating them in the first round of the playoffs back in 2023, Cleveland got better and moved one round closer to the title, getting eliminated at the same stage the Knicks did last spring, so the two teams should be very evenly-matched.

“They were very good last year as well," Thibodeau said. "Any team when you have Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell in the backcourt, it’s very dynamic. And then, of course, you’re talking about Jarrett Allen and [Evan] Mobley up front. And then they adjust and they got [Dean] Wade, they got [Georges] Niang, they got guys. [Sam] Merrill, who can spread the floor and shoot threes.”

There are a lot of ways the Cavs can beat a team, but the Knicks will find a way to combat those as they look to win their second game of the season.

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