One Quarter Doomed Knicks in Loss to Cavaliers

The New York Knicks kept it close in the first half against Cleveland, trailing by just six at the break. But what happened next was hard to watch. A third quarter that fell completely apart cost them the game and showed this team still has not figured out how to hold things together for 48 minutes.

The Knicks went 3-of-24 from the field in the third quarter, getting outscored 23-11 in the period. Cleveland's defense dared New York to shoot from outside, taking away the paint entirely. The Knicks only attempted three shots at the rim that quarter, and their outside shooting was no better: 1-of-12 from three.

That kind of collapse does not happen by accident. The Cavs, behind James Harden and Jarrett Allen, picked up the pace early in the third and never let New York breathe. Cleveland pushed the lead to 18, and that was basically the game.

Why the Third Quarter Is Most to Blame for the Knicks' Loss to Cavaliers

Feb 24, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden (1) watches as New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) falls during the second half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

It was not just one guy who let this slip. Mikal Bridges finished with 18 points but shot 6-of-17, and a lot of those misses came in bunches during the third. Jalen Brunson had 20 on the night, but with the offense stalling, even he could not find a rhythm when it counted. Together, they went 12-of-36, and when your two best scorers combine for that, there is no version of this game where you win.

Karl-Anthony Towns only attempted five shots all game. That number is alarming when the team was desperate for anyone to create something inside. Mitchell Robinson at least gave them 15 rebounds, but the Knicks needed more from their bigs offensively, and they did not get it.

Brunson did show real effort on the defensive end, including one sequence where he got back to stop a transition opportunity. But those flashes could not make up for an offense that kept chucking threes with no answer when they did not go in, which was most of the night.

The fourth quarter looked more like the Knicks everyone knows. Shots started going in, and they made a few small runs. But Cleveland had an answer every single time, with Donovan Mitchell and Harden closing the door on any comeback. Final score: 109-94.

What This Loss Means for the Knicks' Playoff Standing

Feb 24, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) defends Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) during the first half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

This result stings even more when you look at what came before it. Two days earlier, this same Knicks team nearly lost to a Chicago Bulls squad riding a nine-game losing streak, playing without two of their guards and with nothing to play for. Chicago led with four minutes left.

As noted in the takeaways from that game, a team with playoff aspirations cannot be making things that tight against opponents who are actively tanking.

And now this. The Cavaliers pulled even with the Knicks at 37-22. The gap between what should have happened and what did is the most damning part of this loss.

New York heads to Milwaukee next. If this is a one-off, no harm done. But the Bulls game and this one together point to a team that has not yet figured out how to stay locked in through 48 minutes, and that will matter when the playoffs arrive.