The New York Knicks are now up one game to none against the Cleveland Cavaliers after their win on Saturday in their first round matchup of this year’s NBA playoffs.
The Knicks had come into the series as underdogs, but after a victory in game one the odds now consider them to be favorites.
This game was a great first matchup in a series that many are expecting to be one of the closest in the entire first round of the playoffs.
The most notable effort that the Knicks put forth was their offensive rebounding. The most notable of these rebounds came from Julius Randle and Isaiah Hartenstein in a late game situation that had helped the Knicks secure a lead with less than a minute to go.
Besides the rebounding effort, the Knicks can also owe this win to the guys that stepped up big and really contributed to scoring the ball. Jalen Brunson was magnificent in his Knicks playoffs debut, scoring 27 points with 21 of them coming in the second half alone. Time and again all season long Brunson has been able to give the Knicks a basket when needed most and he has continued this trend into game 1.
Josh Hart was also able to continue his stellar level of play since joining the Knicks in this game. Hart scored 17 points coming off the bench and gave a huge boost to the second unit. Another key contributor to the Knicks Success was Julius Randle.
This was Randle’s first game back after suffering an ankle injury, and he appears to be in great shape while tallying a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Despite the Knick’s efforts, the Cleveland Cavaliers were able to keep the game close up until the final minute of play. Donovan Mitchell gave it his all posting an impressive 38 point performance, doing everything he could to help Cleveland to stay in the game. Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen was also a big contributor, posting a double double with 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Outside of these two players, many Cavaliers struggled during this game and were not able to make the necessary plays needed to secure a lead and the win. The Cavaliers just looked outmatched throughout the game, with Donovan Mitchell doing the bulk of the work to try to carry Cleveland to the finish line. The Knicks appeared to have more depth throughout the game, as more players were able to help provide and help in the win.
Going forward in the series, the Cavaliers may not stay down for long. This team has been very good over the regular season and this series is expected to be very close.
The Knicks can also expect some things to go better as well. Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett were both non-factors in game 1, which is something that the team and fans alike know needs to turn around if they are going to win the series. The Knicks play the Cavaliers again in game 2 in Cleveland on Tuesday.