Game Thread: New York Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers 4/21/2023 8:30 pm [Game #3]

rady

Administrator
Staff member

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[4th seed] (51-31) -- (47-35) [5th seed]




NBA PLAYOFFS 2023 ROUND 1
Series: tied 1 - 1



Venue
TV
TIME
Madison Square Garden​
ABC, MSG​
8:30 PM EST​


Probable starters:

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Injury Report

Cleveland Cavaliers
New York Knicks
Cedi Osman - Left ankle sprain (QUEST)Isaiah Roby - Right ankle sprain (OUT)
Dylan Windler - Left foot sprain (OUT)-



Game Preview

The New York Knicks hotly pursued Donovan Mitchell in the offseason, envisioning the star guard as the player who could prompt a franchise revival.

Instead, the Utah Jazz traded Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and come Friday night, Mitchell will be cast in the role of villain when Cleveland and host New York battle in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

The teams split the first two games of the series as Mitchell averaged 27.5 points and 10.5 assists. He scored 38 points in Cleveland's 101-97 loss in Game 1 and recorded 17 points and 13 assists as the Cavaliers prevailed 107-90 in Game 2.

The series moves to New York for Games 3 and 4 and Mitchell, a native New Yorker, is well aware it will be an unwelcoming atmosphere inside famous Madison Square Garden.

"We have to continue to replicate these games," Mitchell said. "Especially when we go over to New York because it's going to be crazy, it's going to be loud, it's going to be nobody cheering for us. We understand it's going to be war."

Mitchell averaged 31.8 points in four games against the Knicks this season but struggled with his shooting in two visits to meet the Knicks at New York. He averaged 23.5 points while shooting just 37 percent (17 of 46) from the field in those games, both losses.

The fifth-seeded Knicks went 3-1 in the regular season against the fourth-seeded Cavaliers and then stole homecourt advantage with the Game 1 win. New York will try to further re-establish itself Friday.

So Mitchell knows the pressure is on his team in Game 3.

"Just do what we do," Mitchell said. "Don't make it too much. Don't make the moment too big. ... Just make the moment about what we do. Understanding that it's going to be loud, it's going to be crazy, it's going to be fun."

Darius Garland also starred in Cleveland's Game 2 win by scoring 26 of his 32 points in the first half.

"Everybody in the building told me to go be aggressive," Garland said. "'Go shoot the ball.'"

New York will be looking to bounce back from a dreadful Game 2 performance, trailing by 20 points at halftime and ultimately by 29 points.

Forward Julius Randle felt the hype got out of hand after New York posted the impressive road victory in Game 1.

"We weren't expecting the series to be over in four or whatever it is," Randle said. "We're taking it a game at a time. So we just got to adjust and we'll be fine.

"Obviously, we could've played better after the first game. We definitely feel like we can play better now. But as a group we're positive. We feel confident."

Randle wasn't feeling so upbeat about being the recipient of a hard foul from Cleveland's Jarrett Allen late in the fourth quarter of Game 2. Randle was speeding in for a fast-break dunk and Allen's foul caused Randle to fall awkwardly out of bounds. He made the ensuing free throw to cut the New York deficit to 103-83 with 2:22 remaining.

"I thought it was a little unnecessary," Randle said. "But it's fine, it's irrelevant. We get to go back to the Garden and we'll see them there."

Randle's late presence in the game came into question after he recently returned from an ankle injury.

"I was actually going to sub Julius out, and he wanted to stay in for a couple more possessions just to find rhythm," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said.

New York is hoping outside shooters RJ Barrett (6 of 25 in the series) and Immanuel Quickley (4 of 13) will find some rhythm in Game 3.

"Honestly, every game is new," Quickley said. "Simply because every game is a new game, you start zero-for-zero. It's 1-1 in the series, and you just move on to the next game."

--Field Level Media

( STATS / cbssports.com )
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Thanks for the Game Thread Rady .. Game 3 in MSG are a ??? after Game 2 performance, and post game answers.

The Cavs switched-up their offense from Game 1 .. Where Mitchell went one on one throughout the game taking 30 FG shots in the game.
In Game 2 .. Mitchell shot 4 FG shots in the first half, and let the ball-movement between Garland, LeVert, and Mobley grab a 20 point lead over the Knicks at half time.

To be truthful, its hard to single out any Knicks player for the Game 2 Blowout.
The team having no preparation to defend Cavs starters Jarrett, Mobley, Mitchell, and Garland's strong areas on offense was a problem in all 4 quarters. The worst game we played all season !!!
 

Kiyaman

Legend
A Knicks Fan WIN tonight in MSG !!!
MitchRob! Take this game win tonight.
Go Knicks Go .. We need this Game 3 WIN !!!
 

Kiyaman

Legend
MitchRob is the player we need the most for a WIN.
I don't care if Mitch shoot FT like Shaq .. His presence in the paint on offense/defense are what the Cavs are having their most problems .
Barrett got 2 3's and the team is 2-11
 

mafra

Legend
17-17 after 1st Q. Both teams shit a combined 3-23 from downtown (RJ made 2 threes). Barrett has 10, Randle hasn’t made a shot, Hartenstein aired a 3-foot shot, Mitch 1-4 from FT, Grimes can’t make wide open looks….

Cavs are clearly determined to make somebody but Brunson and Randle beat them. Without IQ or Grimes scoring, Cavs allowed to play that scheme. They are daring IQ and RJ to beat them.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
End of First Quarter .. Knicks 17 - Cavs 17

Randle & Brunson played bad on both ends of the court.
Garland too.
 

mafra

Legend
IQ bricks a wide open 3, then refuses to shoot a wide open 3, then steps over inbounds line coming out of a timeout. Just awful.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Half Time .. Knicks 45 - Cavs 32

RJ Barrett grabbed him 14 pts in the first half to make up for the last two games.
MitchRob's presence in the paint has given us the 13 pt lead
Randle & Brunson will have to coexist in the 2nd half for the win.
The Knicks defense held the Cavs to 31% in the first half.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Brunson is a game CLOSER ... 21 pts,, 4 rbs, 6 ast, 2 steals
RJ Barrett's 19 pts, 8 rbds, 3 ast, 1 steal
And Josh Hart's all-around performance that's bigger than stats.
Derick Rose Sighting !!!!!
The Knicks Blowout the Cavs in MSG on Friday night Knicks
99-79
 
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