Knicks Clobber Cavs in Game 3 to Take 2-1 Series Lead

Yes, RJ made shots, but Barrett's dogged defense was inspiring. And his willingness/ ability to find open teammates when he drove into the heart of the Cleveland defense was crucial...

In the days/weeks leading up to the first home playoff game in this new Brunson-led era, many New Yorkers were hoping the franchise would pay tribute to the great Knicks teams of the 90s by bringing back the classic "GO NY GO NY GO" anthem or maybe wearing black hightops and shaving their heads.

As it turns out, the Knicks decided to honor Ewing/Oak/Mase/Starks by playing lockdown defense and winning a sloppy, ugly, low-scoring game in front of an absolutely frenzied Garden crowd.

A grand total of 2,508 games were played during the NBA 2022-23 season (playoffs and regular season combined). And never once had a team scored fewer than 80 points in any of those games… until New York held Cleveland to just 79 points Friday night. 

In a contest that featured far fewer made baskets than usual, arguably the biggest bucket of the night was NY's first made FG, which came two minutes into the opening quarter. 

Cleveland was up 6-2 early on when Donovan Mitchell tried to track down an offensive rebound off a missed Brunson 3-pointer, but Mitchell Robinson came up with a steal and found a wide-open RJ Barrett behind the arc.

RJ's ineptitude had been a central talking point this week. He was just 6-of-25 from the field and 1-of-8 from downtown through the first two games vs. Cleveland. For his postseason career, he was shooting below 35% from the floor and 25% from behind the arc. I called RJ the X-Factor coming into this series and, after Game 2, argued that Thibs should cut his minutes if he continued to struggle. Some other media folks with a far bigger platform called for Barrett to be benched. 

RJ surely heard those loud rumblings over the past few days and must've sensed the Garden hush as he caught the pass from Mitch Rob and launched his first shot of the evening. You could almost hear RJ and the MSG crowd take a deep, relaxing exhale after it swished through the net. 

Both teams struggled mightily in the first quarter, scoring just 17 points apiece (the lowest-scoring first quarter of the 2022-23 campaign). The only player on either team to tally double-digits was Barrett, who poured in 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting and grabbed five boards. 

New York finally found their offensive footing in the second stanza and eventually blew the Cavs out of the building, but it was Barrett who led the way early on, providing incredibly valuable offense when it was at a premium. RJ would finish the evening with 19 points (8-of-12 FGs), eight rebounds, three assists, a steal and three triples (3-of-6 from downtown). In the process, he became the youngest Knick in franchise history to score at least 19 points while shooting 75% or better in a playoff game. 

As well as he shot the ball, Barrett's dogged defense was inspiring. And his willingness/ ability to find open teammates when he drove into the heart of the Cleveland defense was crucial to unlocking NY's offense. 

On this play, RJ works his way into the paint and kicks out to a wide-open Josh Hart after three defenders converge. 

Two possessions later, Barrett gets two feet in the paint and the defense off balance before finding IQ in the corner.

In the fourth quarter, RJ drives and forces Jarrett Allen to come over and help, which forces Cedi Osman to crash down and cover an open Mitch Rob at the rim, which leaves Hart wide open behind the arc. RJ sees him, and Hart drills it. 

As Thibs told reporters after the game, Barrett is tough to guard when he gets downhill. 

RJ has scored far more points plenty of times, but this was arguably the best game of the young man's career. Considering the importance of the contest and the fact that his confidence had to be waning, it was a remarkable performance. We'll see if he can build off that momentum and keep it up going forward. 

Two other Knicks that stepped up Friday night were two players making their MSG postseason debut.

Jalen Brunson struggled with his shot in the first quarter but otherwise authored a masterclass performance in Game 3, finishing with 21 points (10-of-18 FGs), six assists, four rebounds and two steals. He controlled the flow of the game all night long, and the Cavs had no answer. 

A couple of notable stats for JB: He is the first Knick to score at least 20 points on 55% FG% or better and record six assists in a playoff game since John Starks on May 11, 1996, vs. Chicago. In addition, Brunson is the first Knickerbocker to tally 20+ points and 5+ assists in back-to-back playoff games since Patrick Ewing in 1990. 

Josh Hart also played a significant role in Friday's victory. Mr. Everything Everywhere All At Once racked up 13 points (on 4-of-5 shooting), six rebounds, two steals and one assist. It's almost impossible not to notice him whenever he steps on the court. Not only is Hart diving and leaping for loose balls, but the Knicks' tempo almost immediately increases. It's like watching the game on DVR in ">>8" fast forward. 

And, yes, there were several other key contributors for the home team (we'll get to that in a moment), but the crowd inside MSG deserves a game ball. They were insanely loud and amped up right from the opening tip. Cleveland seemed rattled the entire contest and never seemed to find their bearings. It might have been because they could not hear themselves think for much of the evening. 

"As a basketball player, you kind of grow up thinking about moments like these," Barrett said after the game. "It was electric in there, and I'm happy we get to come back Sunday."

And, yes, John Starks knows the feeling/vibe of a big playoff win inside an electric Garden:

About Last Night:

🏀 One of the common denominators of Game 1 and Game 3 (the two NY wins) has been very good/valuable minutes from Obi Toppin. He finished with eight points, three boards, an assist, a block, a triple and a game-high 4 (!) steals in 15 minutes of action. Be a superstar in your role, young man. 

🏀 Mitchell Robinson once again outclassed Jarrett Allen (who had just 6 and 5 in 37 minutes). Mitch Rob was all over the offensive glass, ripping down five offensive rebounds. He also patrolled the paint, tallying two blocks and two steals. 

🏀 Immanuel Quickley's final stat line doesn't jump off the page (11 points, two assists, two treys), but his impact was undeniable. He hounded Garland 94 feet and found ways to contribute. IQ was game-high +27  in 23 minutes. 

🏀 Speaking of Garland, he came crashing back down to earth after his breakout performance in Game 2. He was just 4/21 (any time you shoot tour dates - that's not a good sign) from the floor and 1-of-7 from deep Friday night. It's also worth noting Garland seemed to tweak his ankle after stepping on a photographer behind the basket in the fourth quarter. He was able to check back into the contest, but we'll see if he pops up on Cleveland's injury report. 

🏀 The Knicks are also dealing with an injury to one of their starters. Quentin Grimes headed to the locker room before the end of the second quarter in obvious pain, clutching his right shoulder. At halftime, NY announced his return was questionable due to a  contused right shoulder. Tom Thibodeau did not provide an update after the game, so we are still awaiting word on his status.

🏀 Julius Randle was just 3-of-15 from the floor in Game 3 but did chip in eight boards and three dimes. It's remarkable that the Knicks are up 2-1 but have yet to play a complete "A Game" in this series… Randle is shooting under 33% from the floor. Grimes has been invisible. IQ hasn't played up to expectations. RJ was bad in the first two contests. Brunson has made just two of his 16 three-point attempts (12.5%). Will New York be able to put it all together Sunday?

🏀 The short turnaround from a late Friday night game to a 1:00 pm tip-off on Sunday is as close to a back-to-back as you will see in the playoffs. The Cavs are essentially relying on just five guys. We shall see if the small gap between Game 3 and 4 impacts them. It is worth noting that Cleveland played Okoro, Rubio and Cedi on the floor simultaneously in the second quarter on Friday night. The Cavs may have felt they couldn't lean on their starters quite as much. New York made them pay. 

🏀 Not only was Friday the first time a team scored fewer than 80 points this season, but it was also the first time the Cavs have lost by 20+ points this season.

🏀 Let's end with a quote from Kobe: "Job not done."