Knicks Turn in Season-Best Defensive Performance to Stifle Cavs

New York took a commanding 2–1 series lead by way of its stifling defense.

On Friday night, the Knicks took a commanding 2–1 series lead over the Cavaliers thanks to a 99–79 win at Madison Square Garden. In the process, New York did something extremely rare in the NBA in this day and age.

By holding Cleveland to 79 points, the Knicks became the first team all year to hold their opponent to under 80 points. The last team to score fewer than 80 points in a game was the Heat in the playoffs last season.

The majority of New York’s defensive success came in the first half, as Cleveland scored just 32 points in the first 24 minutes of play. The Knicks kept their foot on the gas while defending in the second half, allowing 47 points to complete a 20-point win over a Cavaliers team that hadn’t lost by that great a margin all year.

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The Cavaliers were the only team this season that didn't have a single 20-point loss.

No team had been held under 80 points this entire NBA campaign.

Until tonight, when the Knicks defeated the Cavs 99-79 at the Garden. pic.twitter.com/nd2wgDb6Q9

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 22, 2023

After both teams scored just 17 points in the first quarter, the Knicks surpassed 27 points in each of the next three while Cleveland failed to reach 25.

The Cavaliers came into the playoffs averaging 112.5 points per game, which was No. 25 in the league and the second-worst among playoff teams. Even so, the Knicks holding this Cleveland team to more than 30 points fewer than its season average is no small feat.