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Knicks vs. Cavaliers: 3 Stars From Game 3 Brilliance

The New York Knicks' most valuable assets rose to occasion on Friday night, allowing them to take a 2-1 series lead on the Cleveland Cavaliers in their NBA Playoff series.

Geoff Magliocchetti

Brad Penner, USA TODAY SPORTS
In this story:

"Cleveland Rocks" took on a whole new meaning on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

Holding the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers to a mere 38 percent shooting in Game 3 of their NBA Playoff set, the hosting New York Knicks rolled to not only a 99-79 triumph on the scoreboard but a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven set. It was a pure delight for the MSG faithful, out in full postseason force for the first time in a decade after COVID-19-based restrictions and a five-game ousting put a bit of a damper on their last late spring endeavors in 2021. 

Who came up biggest for the Knicks?

Honorable Mentions

  • Immanuel Quickley: 11 points (4-of-6 FG), 2 assists
  • Obi Toppin: 8 points, 4 steals, 3 rebounds
  • Isaiah Hartenstein: 7 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals
  • Mitchell Robinson: 7 points, 7 rebounds (5 offensive)
  • Julius Randle: 11 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists

3rd Star: Josh Hart

13 points (4-of-5 FG), 6 rebounds

With so much attention on Hart's hair (braided into forming an interlocking NY, the New York Yankees logo or, perhaps, the Knicks' old alternate emblem), you'd think he wouldn't have done much on Friday. That, however, couldn't be further from the truth as Hart was the headliner of the resurgent Knicks' bench that outscored Cleveland's 39-14. Knicks fans so eager to see Hart enter the starting five got their wish on Friday, albeit in shaky fashion: the newest Knick took over the spot vacated by Quentin Grimes, who did not appear in the second half after going to the locker room shortly before the halftime horn.

2nd Star: Jalen Brunson 

21 points (10-of-18 FG), 6 assists, 2 steals

With everything Brunson has done to live up and then some to a $104 million contract, he is basically working with a blank slate in this playoff series. Nonetheless, he was objectively struggling over the first two games of the series but found his shooting groove when it mattered most on Friday.

Game 3 was far from Brunson's first MSG postseason adventure, having previously embarked upon them as the child of an NBA Finalist in 1999 and as a player with Villanova University during the Big East Tournament during the prior decade. The point guard sank 6-of-8 attempts from the field during the second half and a dunk that gave the Knicks one of their first double-figure leads of the evening served as an unofficial turning point.

"Being in this environment, there is no replica,” Brunson said of Friday's atmosphere, per Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News. “Nothing comes close to it. Just happy to be a part of it.”

1st Star: RJ Barrett

21 points (10-of-18 FG), 6 assists, 2 steals

By now, even the most casual Knicks fan is more than aware of the narratives burdening Barrett. The homegrown franchise face has undoubtedly earned some marquee moments, but Friday's effort may be his signature Manhattan moment to date. 

When both sides struggled to break through on the scoreboard, Barrett built the foundation for a big victory by tallying 10 of the Knicks' 17 points in the first quarter en route to a tie game after 12. He capped off the opening 24 with a statement dunk in the final minute and took advantage of Cleveland's misfires with five rebounds in the first half.

Though Barrett lost leading scoring duties to Brunson, his efforts were not forgotten in the aftermath.

“He played fabulous, Jalen Brunson said, per Zach Braziller of the New York Post. “It’s a part of the game, when the ball’s not going through the hoop. RJ’s the type of person that always bounces back. You can never tell his demeanor, not too high, too low and he just always has that mindset that he’s going to come back the next day and be better.”

“I think the big thing is his floor game in Game 1, I thought, was outstanding, six assists and four steals,” head coach Tom Thibodeau added. “He didn’t shoot well, but the thing about RJ is he’s very steady. He doesn’t get rattled. Then I thought he was really aggressive today. We've got to get him into the open floor. When we do that, he’s going to make shots. (When) he gets downhill, he’s tough to guard.”

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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