Brunson takes over in the second quarter, Towns delivers a monster double-double, and the defending champs leave Cleveland with a statement win.
The Knicks got revenge in their rematch against the Cleveland Cavaliers. A dominant performance by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns led New York to a 109-97 victory over the Cavaliers on Saturday night at Rocket Arena. The victory was a solid road win for the Knicks as they were facing a very hot Cavaliers team.
Brunson Takes Over
The game was competitive in the first quarter, with Cleveland up 27-26. However, Jalen Brunson put on quite the display in the second quarter.
After the Cavaliers were up 39-37, Brunson hit a three and went on an absolute tear, going on an 18-point run in just 4 minutes and 24 seconds. He flipped the game on its head and gave New York the upper hand.
New York dominated Cleveland in the second quarter, outscoring them 37-26. This allowed them to take a 63-53 lead into half time.
Brunson had an impressive stat line with 31 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists. Another stellar performance from him!
Towns Dominates Inside
Not just Brunson.
Karl-Anthony Towns put up an impressive stat line of 29 points and 13 rebounds. This gave the Knicks another consistent scorer and rebounder.
OG Anunoby chipped in with 15 points. Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet both scored nine points.
The Knicks went on to extend their lead in the third quarter, scoring 25 points to Cleveland’s 17 and entering the fourth with an 88-70 advantage.
Cleveland Makes One Last Push
The Cavaliers were not going down without a fight.
Donovan Mitchell was on fire in the 4th quarter, scoring 21 of his game-high 37 points in the final quarter. While Cleveland made a final attempt to win, the Knicks stayed calm and executed well to keep their lead.
Brunson made a huge three-pointer to seal the deal for New York in the final three minutes.
The Knicks had only seven turnovers in comparison to Cleveland’s 11.
Final Thoughts: Champions Know How to Respond!
New York played a great game on the road tonight.
Brunson took control in the 2nd quarter and Towns provided everything the Knicks could ask for besides their captain. The Knicks stayed calm even though Donovan Mitchell heated up late.
It was never going to be easy playing on the road against a talented Cavaliers team, however the Knicks proved why they are the defending champions.
They now have a 5-4 record on the season and will try to take the momentum home.
Final Score: New York Knicks 109, Cleveland Cavaliers 97
Next Game: The Knicks go back to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday (10th November) to play the Milwaukee Bucks. Let’s keep winning!
