Knicks vs. Cavaliers: Score, Highlights, Reaction from 2017 Regular Season
The Cleveland Cavaliers (40-16) entered the All-Star break on a three-game winning streak, and they kept their momentum rolling Thursday night with a commanding 119-104 win over the New York Knicks (23-35) at Quicken Loans Arena.
In addition to clinching their fourth straight win, the Cavaliers notched a season sweep of the sputtering Knicks in their first game since Feb. 15.
With fresh legs and a rejuvenated spirit, the Cavs flaunted impressive balance as they initiated their second-half push for the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed.
LeBron James didn't operate as Cleveland's top scorer, but he thrived on the whole with 18 points (7-of-11 shooting), 15 assists and 13 rebounds for his sixth triple-double of the season. James' play was particularly huge during a tide-turning second quarter, when he repeatedly attacked New York's flimsy defense:
Then there was LeBron's monster fourth-quarter block of Courtney Lee, which served as the cherry on top of a convincing triumph:
FiveThirtyEight's Chris Herring noted LeBron also gashed the Knicks with his unparalleled court vision in the blowout:
Kyrie Irving impressed with a team-high 23 points, and he finished as one of seven double-figure scorers. The Knicks routinely struggled to keep bodies in front of Cleveland's ball-handlers and spot-up shooters.
Speaking of open marksmen, Kyle Korver thrived as he ran circles around New York's perimeter defenders. In 31 minutes off the bench, Korver poured in 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field, including 6-of-10 from three.
The sharpshooter was so hot at one point that Yahoo Sports' Joey Gulino joked something had to be seriously wrong:
Korver was also a sensational plus-27, which led all Cavaliers players on a night when Derrick Williams (10 points) and Richard Jefferson (14 points) came up big off the bench.
The Knicks received a solid 25 points from Lee, who did his best to keep the Knicks afloat with steady shooting from all over the floor.
Carmelo Anthony added 20 points, but that simply wasn't enough to lift the Knicks over the Cavs after Kristaps Porzingis exited in the second quarter with a sprained right ankle and did not return, per Knicks PR on Twitter.
With the Cavaliers in possession of a hefty double-digit cushion for most of the second half, Basketball Insiders' Tommy Beer noted Knicks fans were likely diverting their attention from their television screens:
Specifically, those fans may want to start researching the nation's best young point guards: Derrick Rose struggled with 13 points on 6-of-14 shooting after he escaped the trade deadline unscathed.
Of course, those inefficiencies shouldn't have come as a huge surprise after Rose told reporters before the game that he's struggled to adapt to the triangle offense, according to ESPN.com's Ian Begley:
Fading fast in the Eastern Conference playoff race, the Knicks will head back to Madison Square Garden for a showdown with the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday before the Toronto Raptors visit the Big Apple on Feb. 27.
The Cavs, on the other hand, will be back in action Saturday when they attempt to stretch their winning streak to five games against the Chicago Bulls at Quicken Loans Arena.
Postgame Reaction
With another win in the bag, head coach Tyronn Lue appeared pleased with the way his bench produced, according to Cavaliers play-by-play announcer Fred McLeod:
However, Lue emphasized that his team has to maintain more focus with big leads, per 92.3 The Fan's Daryl Ruiter:
As for the Knicks, Begley reported Porzingis was spotted in a walking boot after the loss.
According to SB Nation's Kristian Winfield, "There is concern among some within the Knicks organization about potential ligament damage" to Porzingis' ankle.
That wasn't all, as Bleacher Report's Howard Beck noted:
However, head coach Jeff Hornacek maintained a positive approach with 24 games remaining in the regular season.
"We always think we have a shot until it’s mathematically impossible,” Hornacek said, per Newsday's Al Iannazzone. "We always felt that if we can get on a bit of a roll, the East is kind of crazy. A bunch of teams are bunched up right there."
