Game thread: New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers 7:30 11/10/2019 [Game #10]

The season began with Frank Ntilikina glued to the New York Knicks' bench, but injuries and other circumstances are giving the former lottery pick the chance to be a starting point guard.

Ntilikina enjoyed a strong all-around performance Friday when the Knicks halted a four-game losing streak by beating Dallas. On Sunday, New York hopes to achieve consecutive wins for the first time this season when it hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Knicks return home with a 2-7 record after a stirring 106-102 win over former center Kristaps Porzingis and the Mavericks. That halted a skid in which the Knicks fell by 12 in Orlando, lost on a last-second shot by Jayson Tatum in Boston and suffered blowout losses against Sacramento and Detroit.

In Dallas, the Knicks led for most of the way and coach David Fizdale played Ntilikina for 37:33. He responded with 14 points, six rebounds, four assists, four steals and three blocks while committing just one turnover.

He helped facilitate an offense that was led by Marcus Morris' 29 points and contributed defensively at times against both Luka Doncic and Porzingis, who still produced big nights but were quiet down the stretch.

"Every game he becomes more confident," Fizdale said. "I'm happy for the kid."

Ntilikina will start his fifth straight game Sunday against the Cavaliers.

"I think it's an improvement I did today," Ntilikina said Friday. "We showed some great things out there and we need to build on that for the future."

In his last four games, Ntilikina is averaging 9.3 points in 32-plus minutes while shooting 48.4 percent (15 of 31). Before being inserted into the starting lineup, he averaged 1.8 points in 13.5 minutes, including a total of three minutes in New York's first three games against San Antonio, Brooklyn and Boston.

Ntilikina is starting because Elfrid Payton remains out with a hamstring injury and Dennis Smith Jr. missed time away from the team due to a death in the family. Both players were struggling before their absences, with Payton shooting 37.9 percent in four games and Smith off to a 1-of-11 start in three games.

Cleveland heads to New York also seeking consecutive wins for the first time this season. The Cavaliers halted a three-game skid when they placed seven in double figures Friday in a 113-100 win at Washington.

Tristan Thompson continued his strong start with 21 and 12 boards and enters Sunday averaging 17.4 points and 11.6 rebounds, which are both career highs. Kevin Love totaled 16 points and 12 rebounds for his sixth double-double.

"It's always great to get a road win," Cleveland coach John Beilein said. "I don't care what type of team you have. They guys needed it. When you win somewhere else, it's always special."

Besides seeing continued production from Thompson and Love, the Cavaliers are hoping to see it from rookie guard Darius Garland. Garland scored a career-high 15 points Friday on 6-of-11 shooting.

"I liked his pace today and he's in my ear the whole game about what we should do next," Beilein said. "That was a good step."

The Cavaliers have won 10 straight at Madison Square Garden since Jan. 30, 2014. Nine of those wins were with LeBron James on the roster.

(Field Level Media / cbssports.com)

Let?s see if the team and Frank can build off the last game... next 2 are winnable before a KP truth on Thursday...

Go win 4 in a row and get us feeling good again.

Thanks for taking the time from your weekend to make the game thread Rady.

Let's see if we can string back to back wins together after that exciting win against the Mavs. Ntilikina was huge, I hope the kid makes me eat my hat and proves me wrong about not being an NBA PG, his D is a given but I want to see more playmaking from him, drive the lane and kick it out to open teammates.

Thanks for the GAME-THREAD Rady .... I know u and a lot of KO fans were shock & surprise at the outcome of the Knicks vs Mavs game, the Knicks competed like a winning 48 minute team for the WIN. Yes, a dynamic winning performance. Was it a Fluke?
Tonight, will we see another decent 48 minute Knicks performance that ends with a Knick win over the Cavs at MSG ???

DSJ back from What I heard but won't play. Frank will start even when Payton is back as long as the Knicks play well per Fizdale.

I'm not going crazy over one game in Dallas, we started 2-1 when DFish was the coach and won just 15 more games in the next 79.

Winnable game. Chance to start building something with this roster by winning 2 games in a row. Let?s go Knicks!

Its bout time they put Gibson in the starter lineup .. 1 down 2 more to go

RJ drives down middle and slams it home....

Kiyaman said:

Its bout time they put Gibson in the starter lineup .. 1 down 2 more to go

Click to expand...

All right Dotson in the game !!!

Dotson & Gibson should be starters .. Not RJ & Randle !!!

5 turnovers and a stupid foul on a 3-point shooter and NYK quickly down 10 (14-4).

Wow, that?s some real garbage play to throw out there in the opening 5 minutes of a game against a subpar team.

I can?t believe I just saw Randle turn ball over trying to post up Dellabedova.

Arguably worst quarter of season. Figures....

Knox has missed 2 FTs already.... Knicks are dead last in NBA shooting FTs, and 27th in turnovers.... 31-19 after 1Q.

This has wire to wire and trail by double digit all game written all over this one. Zero effort. I think it?s time to put on SNF.

Cavs defense twice as good as Knicks in first quarter

Knox with a sweet rejection but idiot Trier lost ball trying to dribble the ball. We need DSJ back bc I am tired of this kid. Send him to G League plz.

Knicks already have 10 turnovers.... disgusting.

Typical NYK. Probably acted like they were EC contenders just bc they win a game in DAL. Saw CLE in schedule and figured if they showed up they?ll win.

Then they discover its them who suck, can lose any night to all other 29 teams bc we ain?t good. Our only chance is with effort and focus... you can tell we don?t have either tonight.

Frank with a nice steal... great ball movement but Knox clanks the open 3.... Knicks 2-11 from downtown so far.

Frank with 4 rebounds and 3 steals and making the right pass. Not flashy but serviceable.

We just can?t make a shot.

Frank blocks Garland.... But Morris bricks 2 FTs and Knox/Morris standing around and allow off rebound dunk....

RJ makes us now 2-12 from downtown... we are 10th in NBA in 3-point shooting.

Frank makes us 2-13.... Morris grabs rebound but instead of going up strong he attends some crazy shot... missed it.

Clyde wondering why we haven?t used RJ yet to post up smaller Garland. He has 6 inches on him. Hello Fiz!!!! Call a play.

RJ drives and smacked in face. Apparently, that?s not a foul in NBA anymore. It is if you place foot near landing zone of a 3-point Chuck. But drive to basket and get smacked in face... play on.

Knicks have 30 points and we are under 3 minutes in 2Q... Cavs up 46-30.... like I said.... I expect them to lose wire to wire trailing by double digit all game.

Crowd booing these bums.

A blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while. Knicks win in Dallas looks like that nut. They've scored just 30 pts so far with 3 mins left in the half. Cavs were one of the games they were supposed to win, they were odds on favs to win tonight. 19 pt lead now and Fizdale looks concerned.