The Cleveland Cavaliers (56-25) erased a 23-point deficit behind Darius Garland’s late surge to defeat the New York Knicks (50-31) 108-102 on Friday, April 11, completing a season sweep and handing the Knicks their third straight loss.
Garland scored 13 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, including all the Cavaliers’ points during an 11-6 run that turned a three-point deficit into a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Cleveland outscored New York 30-16 in the final period, improving to 16-4 in their last 20 regular-season games at Madison Square Garden.
The win secured a 4-0 series sweep of the Knicks for the top-seeded Cavaliers, who also played without All-Star Donovan Mitchell (ankle), Ty Jerome, and De’Andre Hunter. Coach Kenny Atkinson said Mitchell could have played if necessary and is expected to return for the playoff opener on April 20.
Jalen Brunson led New York with 27 points. The Knicks, locked into the No. 3 seed after Indiana’s loss to Orlando earlier in the night, rested All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns but otherwise fielded their full starting lineup. Despite that, they fell to 0-8 this season against the East’s top two teams: Cleveland and Boston.
The Knicks started hot, hitting 10 of their first 13 3-point attempts and building a 48-25 lead, but couldn’t hold off Cleveland’s rally. The loss drops New York to 1-3 on the season against their upcoming first-round opponent, the No. 6 seed Detroit Pistons.
Cleveland will close the regular season at home against Indiana on Sunday, while the Knicks head to Brooklyn to face the Nets.
