{"id":235,"date":"2026-05-24T10:06:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T10:06:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movingtohawaiiguide.com\/?p=235"},"modified":"2026-05-24T10:06:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T10:06:21","slug":"knicks-push-cavs-to-the-brink-of-elimination-with-comfortable-game-3-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movingtohawaiiguide.com\/?p=235","title":{"rendered":"Knicks push Cavs to the brink of elimination with comfortable Game 3 victory"},"content":{"rendered":"
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CLEVELAND \u2014 The New York Knicks haven\u2019t been to an NBA Finals in nearly 27 years nor won a championship in almost 53 seasons.<\/p>\n

Read more Nene goslings take flight after surviving in Hilo park<\/a><\/p>\n

At least one of those things is about to change.<\/p>\n

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The Knicks rode a balanced team effort to a 121-108 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, taking a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals. One hundred and sixty-three teams have won the first three games of a seven-game playoff series in NBA history and exactly zero of them have blown said lead.<\/p>\n

So, go ahead and mark it down in ink. The Knicks are headed to the big dance for the first time since 1999. If they don\u2019t, we\u2019ll just grab a new sheet of paper.<\/p>\n

The Knicks, who have now won 10 straight this postseason and are on the verge of consecutive series sweeps, were led by Jalen Brunson (30 points, 6 assists), Mikal Bridges (22), and OG Anunoby (21 points). Karl-Anthony Towns wasn\u2019t all that far off from a triple-double (13-8-7), and Landry Shamet added 14 points off the bench.<\/p>\n

Cleveland is now under .500 (8-9) this postseason. It sure looks like blowing that 22-point lead with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter of Game 1 proved to be an early death knell. The other two games haven\u2019t been that close.<\/p>\n

The Cavs were down 9-1 before Travis Kelce, from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and Taylor Swift, from Wyomissing, Pa., took their courtside seats. Have you heard they\u2019re engaged? The best play by a Clevelander in the second half belonged to Kelce, who shotgunned one of his Garage beers, to the mild embarrassment of his famous fianc\u00e9e.<\/p>\n

They might as well move up the date if they want Cleveland\u2019s players to attend \u2014 the Cavs\u2019 schedule will be clear, soon.<\/p>\n

Cleveland was led by Evan Mobley\u2019s 24 points. Donovan Mitchell scored 23 and James Harden added 19. The Cavs, who\u2019d been missing open shots all series long, shot 12 of-41 from 3-point range at home Saturday night.<\/p>\n

Game 4 is at 8 p.m. Monday at Cleveland\u2019s Rocket Arena. \u2014 Joe Vardon<\/p>\n

Knicks\u2019 absurd run continues:<\/strong> Imagine having to game plan to stop Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, only to remember that the Knicks also have Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart in their starting lineup. Imagine thinking you\u2019re getting a breather from one of those guys when Landry Shamet and Miles McBride come in, only for them to do what the starters did in shorter minutes.<\/p>\n

New York has a plethora of shot-making that has overwhelmed opponents all playoffs. It\u2019s multiple players every night getting shots to drop through the net at a satisfying rate. In the Knicks\u2019 Game 3 victory, four of the five starters shot above 50 percent from the floor and three of those guys finished with 20-plus point. Oh, and then Shamet came off the bench and added 14 points.<\/p>\n

The Knicks are on pace to be the most efficient postseason shooting team since the Lakers in 1987 (minimum one round played).<\/p>\n

Read more Roundup: William Contreras, Brewers jump all over Dodgers<\/a><\/p>\n

Prior to Saturday\u2019s win, the Knicks led all playoff teams in field goal percentage, 2-point field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. All of those things improved in the win. New York is in the midst of an absurd offensive run as it prepares to face one of the NBA\u2019s toughest defenses in the NBA Finals.<\/p>\n

Yes, the Knicks are going to the NBA Finals. No team has ever blown a 3-0 lead in NBA history. The Knicks will need this type of offensive versatility and shot-making in order to give either the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs a run for their money in the Finals. \u2014 James L. Edwards III<\/p>\n

Cavs ice-cold from distance:<\/strong> The Cavs are one loss from extinction because their stars have let them down and their 3-point shooting has absolutely cratered in these conference finals. The two are related.<\/p>\n

Fatigue certainly seems to have been an issue throughout this series with the Knicks and was on display again in Game 3. The Cavs looked lethargic, the building lacked energy because the home team gave them nothing to cheer for and now this erratic, inconsistent season could come to an end Monday night.<\/p>\n

Donovan Mitchell hasn\u2019t looked like himself for much of this series despite coach Kenny Atkinson insisting he\u2019s healthy. James Harden is primarily the reason the Cavs survived both the first and second rounds, but has been zero defensively in these conference finals.<\/p>\n

The Cavs ranked among the top 10 in 3-pointers made during the regular season, but they shot 12 of 40 from 3 on Saturday and are now shooting 30 percent from 3 in this series. Yes, they\u2019ve struggled to guard the Knicks\u2019 deep roster of shooters at various points, but it has primarily been the Cavs\u2019 offense that has abandoned them at the worst possible time.<\/p>\n

Cleveland scored just four fast break points in Game 3, a stunningly low number and more proof of tired legs in a long postseason. Somehow, the Cavs have become that rare team that finds themselves in the conference finals with a losing record. They\u2019re 8-9 in these playoffs and now one more loss from elimination. \u2014 Jason Lloyd<\/p>\n

New York on a historic run:<\/strong> We have to put this into context. The Knicks are not merely up 3-0 in the conference finals. They are not playing well or quite well or even great. This is a historic run. They have won 10 consecutive playoff games. Only four teams \u2014 the 2017 Warriors (15), the 1999 Spurs (12), the 2001 Lakers (11) and the 1989 Lakers (11) \u2014 have won more. Three of those four teams won the title. They have won these 10 games by a combined 225 points, the largest point differential for any 10-game stretch in playoff history.<\/p>\n

No Knicks are playing poorly. Seriously, none. Jalen Brunson goes off at some point each game. Karl-Anthony Towns has never passed like this. Mikal Bridges hasn\u2019t missed a shot since the Van Buren administration. He, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart are locking down every perimeter player in sight. Yes, the Eastern Conference is weak. But the Knicks aren\u2019t skating by these teams. They are demolishing their victims in a way no group has ever done in the history of the NBA playoffs. <\/p>\n

Read more Ousted Hawaii baseball team begins preparing for next season<\/a><\/p>\n

And they are playing like a team utmost deserving of getting there. \u2014 Fred Katz<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared in The Athletic. <\/ins><\/p>\n

\u00a9 2026 The New York Times Company<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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