Knicks at Cavaliers: How & Who to Watch in Possible Playoff Preview

Life without Julius Randle begins on Friday night for the New York Knicks, who face the team immediately above them in the Eastern Conference standings.

In some ways, the New York Knicks face Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on Friday night.

If the season ended today, the fifth-seeded Knicks would face the fourth-ranked Cleveland Cavaliers, which is exactly what they're destined for as a busy weekend tips off. It's also the first game the Knicks will play without the services of Julius Randle this season, as the two-time All-Star begins a two-week rest period after suffering an ankle injury in Wednesday's win over Miami. 

As it stands, No. 5 New York is four games ahead of seventh-place Miami to avoid the Play-In Tournament and four games behind Cleveland for homecourt advantage in a first-round set. The Knicks will also look to take the season series from the Cavs, winning two of the first three meetings so far this season. Cleveland defended its homecourt back in October while the Knicks took each of the prior two meetings at Madison Square Garden, the most recent being a 105-103 triumph on Jan. 24.

The Cavaliers have clinched their first playoff berth since their last NBA Finals trip in 2018 and their first without LeBron James on the team since 1998. They still have a chance for better seeding as they enter the weekend 2.5 games behind the third-place Philadelphia 76ers.

What: New York Knicks (44-33) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (48-29) 

Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH

When/Watch: Friday, 7:30 p.m. ET, MSG/MSG Go

Who's Favored: CLE -4.5

JALEN BRUNSON IS BACK! BUZZER BEATER! pic.twitter.com/0VeSQpD47i

— Big Knick Energy (@BigKnickEnergy_) March 30, 2023

Keep An Eye On: Jalen Brunson

With Randle out, the Knicks' headliner is undoubtedly Brunson, who's shaking off medical woes of his own: Wednesday's win over Miami marked his return from a two-game absence due to a sprained hand, part of a very painful March, where he previously lost five nights of work due to a foot issue.

While Brunson reassumed his starting five duties on Wednesday and played 30 minutes, he was far from the crisp, suave facilitator the Knicks have been used to, shooting 5-of-11 and losing three turnovers over 30 minutes of action. He was held out of the fourth quarter entirely as the rarely-seen grouping of RJ Barrett, Quentin Grimes, Josh Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Immanuel Quickley doused the Heat with a 25-16 tally in the final frame. 

Head coach Tom Thibodeau said after the game that holding Brunson out was nothing personal ... or medical ... just business.

"The game swayed right there, and so we had a lot of guys in, playing roles they’re not accustomed to, in positions, but we managed it well, I thought,” Thibodeau said, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. “We had just taken a five-point lead, so I wanted to see where it would go. And I felt we just got into a good rhythm. The thing about Jalen is he’s always team-first. I said let’s see the next couple of minutes, how it goes, and we went on a run right there and just rode it out right there. Some nights that’s the way it is.”

That's perfectly acceptable considering the circumstances, but the fact of the matter is that Brunson has been brought in to be the Knicks' next step, a player to push them to the next level. Wednesday's situation is far from condemning Brunson: he has responded to every challenge New York has thrown at him with gusto and then some this season and it has put the Knicks in prime postseason position. But with Randle's status in question, any spring noise the Knicks are trying to make could rely on Brunson rediscovering his NBA land legs over this final five.

Just watch Evan Mobley on this play pic.twitter.com/ABq59EXBb8

— Tony Pesta (@Tony_Pesta) March 26, 2023

Cavalier to Watch: Evan Mobley

The Cleveland version of Randle is probably Mobley, who has put in a workman's effort in his sophomore season. Mobley isn't far behind Randle on the NBA's minutes list (currently sixth) and he has improved in every major statistical category. He's one of several players who probably doesn't want to see March end, as he's hauling in 9.8 rebounds and tallying 18.4 points a game. 

Cavs head coach J.B. Bickerstaff wasn't ready to fully make the comparison but hinted that Mobley could one day resemble a certain San Antonio Spurs superstar.

“I think he is unique," Bickerstaff said, per Bob Finnan of The Chronicle-Telegram. “People talk about Tim Duncan’s personality and how quiet and reserved he was. But he was a fierce competitor. One of the coaches at USC told me Evan reminded him of Tim Duncan.”

Bickerstaff partly credited Mobley's leap to the work of newly-minted assistant coach Luke Walton. 

“He’s spent a lot of time with Evan talking to him about the ins and outs of the game,” Bickerstaff said. “Luke was not as talented as Evan, but he was a really good playmaker, passer, and facilitator with the ball in his hands, which Evan is really good at, as well. They can see the game from the same perspective that way.”

Prediction

There's never a good time to lose a literal All-Star contributor but the Knicks are at least secure in their playoff positioning without Randle. But they're still facing a powerful Cleveland team looking to make one last statement (i.e. a 50th victory) before the playoffs begin. With Brunson still working his way back and the post-Randle era writing its first chapter, keeping things close and getting a feel for a potential playoff opponent are the most valuable things the Knicks can take home with them.

Cavaliers 113, Knicks 107

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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