Game Thread: Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New York Knicks 2-24-26

The Cleveland Cavaliers are hosting the New York Knicks on the first night of a back-to-back! I'll be live updating this page throughout the night.

The Cavs will be without Max Strus, Tristan Enaruna (two-way), and Riley Minix (two-way). The Knicks will not have Miles McBride or Pacome Dadiet.

STARTERS

Knicks- Brunson, Hart, Bridges, Anunoby, Towns

Cavs - Harden, Mitchell, Wade, Mobley, Allen

FIRST QUARTER

This game is fast and furious already. Cavs have hit 4 of 6 threes, including a pair from Evan Mobley because the Knicks are packing that paint. Multiple turnovers for each squad, too. High intensity. Cleveland up 18-12 in the first five minutes.

Sam Merrill and Dennis Schroder enter for the Mobley-Donovan Mitchell pairing.

Both bigs have been involved nicely early for Cleveland. Harden's done a nice job of locating them.

Jaylon Tyson checks in for Dean Wade at the five-minute mark. In comes Mitchell Robinson, Jeremy Sochan, and Landry Shamet for New York.

That's how you draw up a drive and dump off. Dennis Schroder went right, got the defender to contest, and found Donovan Mitchell for a thunderous right-hand slam with Mitchell Robinson being too late to deter it. Cavs up 27-21 with 2:32 in the opening quarter.

Good scrappy minutes from Tyson here in the final moments of the first.

What a find for Mitchell to Dean Wade to close it. That was a both-end display from Don all quarter.

END 1Q: Cavs 35, Knicks 26

NYK: Hart 7p, 4r, 2a, stl. Brunson 7p. Bridges 6p, 1r, 1a, blk, stl.

CLE: Mitchell 9p, 4a, 2stl. Harden 7p, 3a. Wade 6p, 3r, 1a, blk. Mobley 5p, 3r, 1a. Allen 5p, 3r.

SECOND QUARTER

Keon Ellis in the game for Sam Merrill to start things off.

Schroder's making it happen tonight off the bounce. 

Cavs have turned over two up-floor passes after steals now. Head's in the right place. Execution is not.

Defensive effort has been superb in this first half. Cavs have forced 11 turnovers to this point. Unfortunately have only scored nine points off those. Cleveland up 46-39 midway through the second. 

Mitch Rob is doing the thing again. Six rebounds, two offensive in 10 minutes. He's off the floor now, though.

James Harden's gotten by Jalen Brunson anytime he's wanted so far. He's a big dude, and he's using that to his advantage. A number of nice floaters and finding teammates off patient drives in. Cavs up 52-49 as the Knicks keep responding.

JA's had a solid, solid half. Good sign against a team that we know everybody circles on the calendar.

Starting five kicked some tail in that first half, but Dean Wade's response to last game stands out. He's been terrific.

HALF: Cavs 60, Knicks 54

NYK: Towns 11p, 5r, 2a, 2blk. Brunson 13p, 2a. Bridges 10p, 2stl, 1r, 1a. Robinson 7p, 6r, 1a, blk. Hart 7p, 5a, 1r, stl.

CLE: Mitchell 15p, 4a, 2stl. Allen 12p, 5r, stl. Wade 9p, 5r, 3stl, 2a, blk. Harden 9p, 4a, 2r. Mobley 6p, 4r, 1a, stl. 

THIRD QUARTER

Wade and Harden are starting to figure out each other's spots and tendencies. Good sign for the Cavs, who are up 69-58 just a few minutes into the second half.

Schroder's been so good in this game, and you wouldn't know it by the box score. Gritty guarding and just making the simple, right plays off the bounce. Cavs lead it 76-63 with four minutes left in the third.

END 3Q: Cavs 83, Knicks 65

NYK: Bridges 15p, 4r, 3stl, 1a, blk. Brunson 14p, 3a, 1a, 1r, blk. Towns 11p, 6r, 2a, 2blk. Robinson 9p, `11r, 1a.

CLE: Allen 18p, 10r, stl. Mitchell 17p, 4a, 3r, 3stl. Harden 17p, 4a, 2r. Wade 11p, 8r, 3a, 3stl, 2blk. Tyson 9p, 6r, 1a, blk.

FOURTH QUARTER

How about Kenny Atkinson getting James Harden a catch-and-shoot corner three? Nice brush screen from Keon Ellis, who got the ball and fired the pass over to Beard. Cavs up 93-74 with 7:39 remaining.

JT's probably done, but he did a really nice job in his 23 minutes.