Brunson, Barrett lead Knicks to 102-93 win in game 4

The Knicks have one foot in the second round after a thrilling 102-93 win against the Cavaliers in game 4 of the first round.

Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett led the way for the Knicks with 29 and 26 points respectively. Josh Hart, who started in place of Quentin Grimes, added 19 points and 7 rebounds. The Knicks will now have the chance to close out the series in game 5.

The Knicks built a commanding 15-point lead in the second quarter following a three-pointer by Brunson that made it 46-31. However, the Cavaliers refused to go away quietly and made a comeback in the third quarter, eventually tying the game at 66 before taking the lead 69-66 behind a 24-foot jumper by Caris LeVert.

Despite the Cavs’ surge, the Knicks never lost their composure. Barrett, Brunson, and Hart spearheaded a 15-6 run to regain the lead in the final act and secure the win.

The Knicks’ defense was on point all night, holding Donovan Mitchell to just 5-18 FG and forcing him into 6 turnovers. They dominated the offensive glass as well, grabbing 17 offensive rebounds compared to the Cavaliers’ 7.

“Jalen hit a huge shot at the end of the third to put us up, so that was big, and fourth quarter, just staying tough. Every time they threw a punch, we threw something back.”

– RJ Barrett

Mitchell Robinson also had a strong game for the Knicks, recording a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end.

In what was one of his worst career postseason games, Donovan Mitchell finished with just 11 points. Darius Garland led the Cavs with 23 points and 10 assists, while LeVert and Jarrett Allen added 14 points each.

Knicks’ star Julius Randle had a quiet night, scoring just two points in the first half and finishing with only seven points for the game. Randle was benched during the fourth quarter as the Knicks closed out the game.

With this win, the Knicks are now one step closer to the second round, something they haven’t achieved since 2013. The Knicks will now have the opportunity to close out the series in game 5 and advance to the second round for the first time in ten years.

Up-next: Game 5 scheduled to be played on Wednesday night from 7:00 in Cleveland.