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Knicks vs. Cavaliers, Game 3: How & Who to Watch in A Potential Series Shifter

Madison Square Garden is set to host one of the biggest games of the NBA Playoffs thus far, as the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers prepare to break a 1-1 series tie.

Geoff Magliocchetti

USA TODAY SPORTS
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Madison Square Garden has hosted its share of big, momentum-shifting events. The latest comes on Friday night. 

Further physicality likely awaits on Friday, which will mark Manhattan's postseason reintroduction after a year off. New York Knicks playoff basketball properly returns by playing in front of their home fans, as they prepare to welcome in the Cleveland Cavaliers after a pair at Rocket Mortage FieldHouse.

While the Knicks mustered a tie in the Cleveland pair, momentum rests on the Cavs' side after taking home a 107-90 decision in the second game of the series on Tuesday. It was a one-sided battle on both the scoreboard and the hardwood, with the Cavs winning a physical battle and holding the Knicks to their lowest point tally since early November. Darius Garland broke through the sloppiness to score 32 points in the win, which also featured a Donovan Mitchell double-double to the tune of 17 points and 13 rebounds.

What: Cleveland Cavaliers @ New York Knicks, Game 3, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (Series tied 1-1)

Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

When/Watch: Friday, 8:30 p.m. ET, MSG/ABC

Who's Favored: NYK -1.5

Keep An Eye On: RJ Barrett

The situation around Barrett was explosive enough as is. By now, it's common knowledge that the Knicks didn't end up with Mitchell partly because they did their utmost to keep him away from Utah's trade demands for his services. But even if the Mitchell factor wasn't in play, Barrett has objectively struggled in the early stages of this series.

Granted, Barrett is hardly alone when it comes to the Knicks' issues in backcourt shooting ... Quentin Grimes and Immanuel Quickley have likewise had issues ... but his issues take center stage considering both his connections to Mitchell and the fact he's the Knicks' homegrown franchise face after arriving as the third overall pick in the 2019 draft.

Despite his struggles from the field (6-of-25 through the first two games), Barrett hinted at no signs of slowing down. Through two games, only top scorers Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle are putting up more shots.

"The shots I’m shooting are the shots that I work on," Barrett said, hinting at further endeavors from the outside, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. "I’m very happy with my shots (but I've) got to make them."

Cav to Watch: Jarrett Allen

The great New York playoff series always require a villain: Yankee fans have Jose Altuve, Mets fans had John Rocker, Rangers and Devils fans currently have each other. The Knicks have built themselves quite the list of enemies over the years with Reggie Miller and Trae Young receiving some of MSG's loudest boos over the years. Even the greatest of all time, Michael Jordan, fell victim, though, true to form, he took Manhattan's disapproval as a badge of honor.

Allen might be the latest to grace that list after what transpired at the tail end of Tuesday's game: his hard takedown of Julius Randle was seen as overzealous by Knicks supporters, especially in what was then a 22-point game with just over two minutes remaining. While Randle has gotten over the incident well enough to laugh it off, those who take over MSG's seats on Friday likely won't be so forgiving.

The late foul has mostly taken over Allen's world at this point, which is a bit of a shame from a basketball lens. Allen is regarded as one of the cleaner, stronger defenders in the Association and he'll perhaps gain a label of "dirty" for at least the rest of the series. Both Allen and Evan Mobley have lived up to their big billing in the interior (uniting to pull in 48 over the first two games) and the Knicks could perhaps use any help they can get.

Prediction

The Philadelphia 76ers perhaps killed off any meaning the word had, but this current iteration of Knicks history is a process. They got to skip a few steps when Brunson turned out to be well worth a $104 million contract and then some and they're well ahead of schedule while building a sustainable foundation for both the present and future. What has followed is a relatively consequence-free playoff trip where the pressure is undoubtedly on Cleveland's side.

But the process could show its ugly, or at least painful, side in Game 3. Tuesday's Game 2 was such a disaster from a New York perspective that it might take them some time to refind their footing. 

Expect things to be much closer on Friday, setting the stage for a fateful, furious matinee on Sunday. But the Knicks have a little too much to work on to confidently put any immediate faith on their side.

Cavaliers 101, Knicks 99

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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