Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points and James Harden added 20 as the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled away in the second half to defeat the New York Knicks 109-94 on Tuesday night. Jarrett Allen contributed a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, helping Cleveland win for the eighth time in nine games.
For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson scored 20 points and Mikal Bridges added 18, while Mitchell Robinson grabbed 15 rebounds, one shy of his season high. New York shot just 35 of 86 from the field, with Bridges and Brunson combining for 12 of 36. The team also struggled from beyond the arc, hitting only 10 of 37 3-point attempts (27%), despite Cleveland entering the game as one of the league’s worst teams defending the 3-point line.
The Cavaliers held a 60-54 lead at halftime and took control in the third quarter, outscoring New York 23-11 while limiting the Knicks to 3-of-24 shooting. Harden scored eight points in the quarter and Allen added six. It marked New York’s worst shooting quarter since going 3-of-20 in the fourth quarter against Boston in 2018.
Cleveland extended its lead with a 13-2 run spanning the late third and early fourth quarters, building a game-high 98-78 advantage midway through the fourth.
Both teams are now 37-22 and tied for third in the Eastern Conference, though New York holds the head-to-head tiebreaker after winning two of three matchups this season.
Up next: The Cavaliers begin a three-game road trip at Milwaukee on Wednesday, and the Knicks also travel to Milwaukee on Friday.
