New York back in NBA Finals for first time since 1999 after beating Cleveland
The New York Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-93 on Monday night in Cleveland, completing a four-game sweep of the Eastern Conference finals and securing their first NBA Finals berth since 1999.
Game Recap
Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 19 points and 14 rebounds, while OG Anunoby added 17 points for the Knicks. Landry Shamet contributed 16 points off the bench, and both Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson scored 15 points each. New York became the fourth team in NBA history to post an 11-game winning streak during a postseason run; the last to achieve this was the Golden State Warriors, who had a 15-game streak en route to their second title in three seasons in 2017. All but one of the Knicks' playoff wins have been by double digits, with an average margin of victory of 23.7 points.
The Knicks pulled their starters with 7:47 remaining and a 35-point lead, as a large contingent of fans chanted "Knicks in four!" New York supporters easily outnumbered Cleveland fans in attendance, with celebrity fans including director Spike Lee, comedian Tracy Morgan, actor Timothée Chalamet, and his girlfriend Kylie Jenner making the trip. "Our guys played great. You're in the conference finals and score 65 points off of offensive rebounds and fast break points. I don't know if I've seen that at this point of the year. We wanted to push the pace," coach Mike Brown said.
Dominance in Transition and Second-Chance Points
The Knicks dominated second-chance points, outscoring the Cavaliers 32-5. They also held a 33-9 advantage in fast break points. "I feel like the word 'hope' has been gone from the New York Knicks name for a long time and for me to be part of this team that revives hope is something special," Towns said.
Finals Matchup and History
New York will face either the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder or the San Antonio Spurs in the finals. The Western Conference finals is tied at two games apiece, with Game 5 scheduled for Tuesday in Oklahoma City. The Thunder or Spurs will have homecourt advantage when the finals start on June 3 due to a better regular-season record. This marks the Knicks' third finals appearance since winning their last title in 1973; they lost in seven games to the Houston Rockets in 1994 and in five games to the San Antonio Spurs in 1999. Knicks legends Walt "Clyde" Frazier and Patrick Ewing presented the Bob Cousy Trophy to the team on the court. This is the 15th time since the National Basketball Association-American Basketball Association merger in 1976 that a coach has reached the finals in his first year with a team. The Knicks hired Brown after parting ways with Tom Thibodeau.
Context: The Knicks' sweep of the Cavaliers mirrors the Golden State Warriors' 2017 postseason run, during which they also posted a double-digit winning streak. The 1999 Knicks, the last New York team to reach the finals, also advanced as an eighth-seeded underdog before losing to the San Antonio Spurs in five games.