GREENBURGH, N.Y. — When NBA schedule makers paired Donovan Mitchell’s Cleveland Cavaliers against Jalen Brunson’s New York Knicks for a nationally broadcast season opener and Christmas Day game, they clearly saw this as the Eastern Conference’s premier matchup.
That prediction proved accurate.
Both teams return to Madison Square Garden’s bright lights where their season began Tuesday, but now they’ll compete in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.
“It’s go-time now,” Brunson declared Monday.
New York has dominated the playoffs with record-breaking performances. Cleveland, strengthened by adding James Harden, gained momentum late in the regular season and convincingly eliminated Detroit, the East’s top seed, in round two.
This advancement marks Mitchell’s first conference finals appearance and brings him back to his hometown area. The Elmsford, New York native grew up near the Knicks’ practice facility.
“Yeah it’s great I get to play at home, woo, but it doesn’t matter,” Mitchell stated. “We’ve got to be locked in and ready to go, and I know we will be.”
New York secured the East’s third seed while Cleveland finished fourth, trailing Detroit and Boston significantly. However, seven months after the Knicks defeated the Cavaliers in Mike Brown’s coaching debut, both squads have fulfilled preseason expectations.
The Cavaliers started as the East’s wagering favorites and reclaimed that position following Harden’s acquisition from the Los Angeles Clippers. New York ranked second in preseason predictions but climbed to the top during the playoffs, and their performance demonstrates why.
The Knicks have captured seven consecutive victories and outpaced Atlanta and Philadelphia by a combined 194 points, marking the largest differential through any team’s initial 10 playoff contests. New York reached 140 points in both series-clinching games.
“They’re rested and they’re a juggernaut right now,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson observed. “I mean, it’s just what it is. It’s hard to blow out teams in the playoffs like they’ve been blowing out. Point differential means something in this league.”
Cleveland performed adequately rather than exceptionally throughout most of this postseason, requiring seven games to advance past both Toronto and Detroit. However, they claimed their final two road victories against the 60-win Pistons, including a dominant 125-94 Game 7 triumph.
Jarrett Allen contributed 23 points while Evan Mobley added 21 points and 12 rebounds, demonstrating that Cleveland’s strength extends beyond their prolific backcourt.
“I remember back in the day when I was with Pop, Pop said you need three All-Stars to win a championship. Well, they’ve got four,” Brown commented, referencing his assistant coaching tenure under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio.
New York defeated Cleveland in five games during the 2023 first round, Brunson’s inaugural New York season, extending their series record to 4-0 against the Cavaliers. The Knicks hold a 12-2 advantage in playoff matchups, having previously won series in 1978, 1995, and 1996.
Beyond Mitchell, both head coaches return to former organizations. Brown previously coached Cleveland twice, guiding them to their first NBA Finals in 2007. Atkinson, a Long Island native, served as Mike D’Antoni’s assistant with the Knicks before receiving his first head coaching opportunity in Brooklyn.
New York hasn’t competed since May 10, while Cleveland has just one complete day between rounds.
The extended break allows the Knicks to recover physically, with OG Anunoby returning to full practice after missing Philadelphia’s final two games with a strained right hamstring. Yet the layoff might disrupt a team operating in excellent rhythm.
“I’ve been in both situations. I’ve been playing while the team is waiting and I’ve been waiting while a team is playing, and you can say a lot theoretically,” Brown explained. “You could say that they’re going to be tired, but you can also say they have a competitive edge because they’ve been going at it for seven games and we’ve been off.”
Cleveland has received significant contributions beyond Mitchell and Harden.
Mobley has dominated on both ends, averaging 17 points while leading in rebounds (8.0) and tying for blocks (1.9). Allen has delivered strong Game 7 performances and benefited from Harden’s emphasis on interior offense.
Max Strus, Dennis Schroder, and Sam Merrill have provided crucial bench production. Strus made pivotal steals in Games 3 and 5 against Detroit. Schroder offers veteran ball-handling when Harden and Mitchell rest, while Merrill maintains 40.4% three-point accuracy.
