Cavaliers Wanted Revenge on Knicks

The Cleveland Cavaliers have not forgotten their futile 2023 NBA playoff series with the New York Knicks en route to the top.

Apr 23, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Obi Toppin (1), and guards Jalen Brunson (11) and Josh Hart (3) celebrates during game four of the 2023 NBA playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks won a playoff series and now the rest of the NBA is paying for it.

Those distraught over the way the Knicks played this weekend, which featured consecutive one-sided losses to Eastern Conference leaders Cleveland and Boston, perhaps consoled themselves by taking a trip down memory lane, namely the one that led to the 2023 postseason. In that tournament, the Knicks downed the Cleveland Cavaliers by a 4-1 final in the opening round to earn their first playoff series win in a decade.

Before league-best Cleveland unleashed a 142-105 shellacking on Friday night at Rocket Arena, head coach Kenny Atkinson hinted that the defeat has stuck with the leftovers en route to the top.

Feb 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) drives to the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the first half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

“They remember,” Atkinson, who was not present for the series, said, per Evan Dammarell of Heavy.com. “I know our players remember. They talk about it.”

Cleveland franchise face Donovan Mitchell, having indirectly ignited the budding rivalry between the Knicks and Cavaliers, concurred. The Cavs beat out the Knicks for the services of Mitchell, a New York native, through a trade with the Utah Jazz during the 2022 offseason.

“You don’t see the hunger in Darius Garland, you don’t see the chip on his shoulder, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, myself, Isaac Okoro, Dean Wade, if we don’t, quite frankly, get embarrassed by New York, you know?” Mitchell said, per Dammarell.

The Knicks' victory in that opening round set offered a disappointing ending to chapter one of the new Cleveland basketball era: Mitchell had joined the fold alongside an exciting, young, homegrown core headlined by Garland and granted the Cavaliers their first playoff appearance since LeBron James' second departure after the 2018 NBA Finals.

Entering this season, the Knicks were 9-3, including playoffs, against Mitchell's Cavs, who needed seven games to hold off the Orlando Magic in last year's opening round before bowing to the eventual champion Boston Celtics in the conference semifinals.

Though the modern Cavaliers (47-10) eschewed the idea of a statement win in the aftermath, one couldn't help but notice the sheer anger on display in their performance. Cleveland doomed the Knicks to their worst loss of the Tom Thibodeau era and led by as much as 42 before finally relenting. Mitchell led the way with 27 points as one of six Cavaliers that reached double-figures.

While several newcomers to the rivalry (i.e. De'Andre Hunter, Ty Jerome) rose to the occasion, the survivors from 2023 came out to play alongside Mitchell: Mobley had 21 points, eight rebounds, and three steals in the win while Garland received a raucous reception for staying in the game despite falling down hard after an encounter with Karl-Anthony Towns under the basket.

Mitchell refused to start parade-planning in the aftermath but couldn't help but credit the way the futile playoff showing helped sculpt the modern state of Cleveland basketball.

Apr 26, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) defends Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) in the fourth quarter during game five of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

“I’m appreciative of [2023]," Mitchell said, per Dammarell. “I think for myself, for us as a group, we needed that. You don’t see us get to this point if we don’t, quite frankly, get embarrassed by New York. Those experiences are humbling. Those experiences are needed.”

For now, those experiences are also rewarding.

The Knicks (37-20) have two more opportunities to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Cavaliers in April.

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