Knicks at Cavaliers, Game 2: How & Who to Watch as NY Seeks 2-0 Lead

The New York Knicks have a golden opportunity to take a 2-0 lead in their NBA Playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but they might be missing a key figure.

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The New York Knicks have a major opportunity to plant the seeds of an upset in the opening round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on Tuesday night. They, however, might have to do it without one of the most vital Madison Square Gardeners.

With Josh Hart questionable to come off the bench, the Knicks will press forward in pursuit of a 2-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs on Tuesday night. The Knicks have not jumped out to a 2-0 series lead with both games on the road since the 1999 Eastern semifinals in Atlanta. 

New York continued to flex its muscle against the Cavs this season, improving to 4-1 with their 101-97 victory on Saturday evening. Hart, Jalen Brunson, and Donovan Mitchell each stood out in their respective postseason debuts in new uniforms: Mitchell, a former New York target, led the Cavs with 38 points but Brunson paced the Knicks' scoring with 27 of his own and Hart tallied a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double in his first career playoff game after 372 regular season showings. 

What: New York Knicks @ Cleveland Cavaliers, Game 2, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (NYK leads series 1-0)

Where: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH

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

Who's Favored: CLE -4.5

The Knicks defense was just locked in. RJ Barrett switches, denies Mitchell off ball, physical, navigates the pick and roll. The work they put in hurt Cleveland's off-ball movement. Knicks defense is challenging Cleveland's bigs to make plays. pic.twitter.com/3CW6bq1ocG

— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) April 17, 2023

Keep An Eye On: RJ Barrett

The series against the Cavs is the perfect time for Barrett to shed his name of the Donovan Mitchell connections, but he did not take advantage in Saturday's opener. His defense was passable enough but a 2-of-12 effort from the field isn't going to make anyone forget the fact that the Knicks did everything in their power to him out of the Mitchell proceedings ... especially considering Mitchell almost single-handedly kept Cleveland in contention. The seven points he put up marked the first time he was held to less than 10 since Feb. 13 against Brooklyn.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau was nonetheless encouraged by Barrett's other contributions on Saturday, stealing four and pulling in six rebounds.

"The bottom line is winning the game,” Thibodeau said, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. “If you don’t shoot well, do some other things, hustle, get stops, his size is important. The rebounding component, the ability to challenge shots, that’s a big part of it, as well, how he fits into the team scheme.”

Another offensive board for the Knicks in the closing moments. Bodied by Julius Randle. Evan Mobley needs to get in the weight room. https://t.co/aoMt1qn8JG pic.twitter.com/AhegqN9RPW

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) April 16, 2023

Cav to Watch: Evan Mobley

Mobley and Jarrett Allen come into this series averaging 18.8 rebounds a game combined but the Knicks handled interior business on Saturday. While the big duo lived up to its reputation in Game 1 (pulling in 25 in defeat), they could hardly put a dent in the rebounding disparity that played out to a 51-38 advantage in the Knicks' favor, as five New Yorkers pulled in at least five each. 

The sophomore Mobley has reasons to take things extra personally: not only did he miss out on the Knicks' final rebound, their 17th of the evening and the last of Julius Randle's double-double that allowed them to more or less seal the deal and set up Quentin Grimes' clinching free throws, but he also missed out on the Defensive Player of the Year Award that went to Jaren Jackson Jr. of Memphis. Eager to make an impression in his first playoff appearance, Mobley can make a good impression if he plays a major role in the Cavs tying the series.

Prediction

One can look at Game 1 of the series in one of two, relatively simple ways: supporters of the Knicks' case could say that Donovan Mitchell put up one of his finest postseason performances and his team still came up short. The Cleveland-based perspective, however, hints that, with a couple of extra rebounds, they could be the ones up 1-0 instead.

Even though Hart is inching toward playing, it's asking a lot for the Knicks to bring a 2-0 lead back to Manhattan with them. Topping Cleveland was never going to be easy and New York could be braced to find that out the hard way tonight.

Cavaliers 112, Knicks 107

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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