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Cleveland, OH – Debatably the best free agency signing during the 2022 offseason, New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson would not be denied pouring in 48 points. It’s a new career high and with a 130-116 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, it seals them a spot in the playoffs.
In this potential playoff preview the Knicks (45-33) and Cleveland Cavaliers (48-30) went back and forth trading blows. But the players that were doing the majority of the work were Brunson and Donovan Mitchell. Both players have assisted their squads in reaching the postseason because of their multi-level scoring prowess.
The dynamic guards were crazy efficient. Mitchell dropped his second consecutive 40-point game, going for 42 on 16-23 from the field. The four-time all star had 44 in a two-point loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday. In just one season with Cleveland, he ties Kyrie Irving’s 11 40 point games. Irving played six seasons in a Cavalier uniform.
Brunson was scorching hot and managed to get by any defender who was thrown at him. Raul Neto, Lamar Stevens, Caris LeVert, whoever it was the Villanova product was unguardable on all levels. His 48 came from shooting 56% overall and 7-12 from three.
The Knicks and Cavaliers are in the top five in terms of slowest pace in the NBA, but with a combined score 246 it was the total opposite of a grind that these matchups have shown us this season. At one point, these two clubs had a 92-81 game back on December 4. Cleveland has consistently stayed near the top of the league in scoring defense, while New York ranks second in rebounding percentage and third in offensive rebounding percentage.
But, after a 47-42 first quarter in which each team shot over 60% from the floor, any chance of it being a sluggish night offensively on both sides was apparent early on.
Most of the game was Mitchell and Brunson going back forth, dazzling the crowd but the visiting team gained some separation at the start of the fourth. Only up three, 105-102, New York proceeded to go on a 14-2 run that turned the game upside down from that point on.
It felt that if one team were to hit the wall offensively even for a minute or two, the other team would pull ahead comfortably and that is exactly what happened to the Cavaliers. They went scoreless for 2:47 and just like that they were down 119-104 with 7:36 remaining.
With the blistering pace of this game and, Cleveland seemed to run out of gas down the stretch and the Knicks were able to hold on and get a few defensive stops in which there were hardly any.
There were some key injuries with Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen (groin) and Isaac Okoro (knee) out for their second straight games. On the Knicks side, they were without star forward Julius Randle, who has put together a tremendous bounce back year averaging 25 points and 10 rebounds a game. He is sidelined with a sprained ankle and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. He will likely miss a game or two in the first round of the playoffs.
Cleveland is back in action Sunday against the Pacers with another chance to try and clinch home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. They are also two wins away from 50, which would match their highest total since 2018. The Knicks also play Sunday and will do battle with the Wizards.
