CLEVELAND – The New York Knicks crushed the Cleveland Cavaliers 130-93 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals Monday night, completing a sweep and earning their first trip to the NBA Finals in 25 years. Karl-Anthony Towns led the way with 19 points and 14 rebounds in the decisive victory.
New York’s championship series berth ends a drought dating back to 1999, while their current postseason surge has reached 11 consecutive wins – a new franchise playoff record that ties the third-longest single-postseason streak in NBA history.
The Knicks received balanced scoring throughout their roster. OG Anunoby contributed 17 points while Landry Shamet came off the bench to add 16 points, connecting on all four of his three-point attempts. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges each chipped in 15 points, and Josh Hart recorded six points along with 11 rebounds and six assists.
For Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell paced the scoring with 31 points and Evan Mobley added 15 points with seven rebounds. The Cavaliers had reached their first Eastern Conference finals since 2018 before falling to New York. James Harden struggled significantly, managing just 12 points while committing five turnovers and missing all six three-point attempts.
New York’s head coach Mike Brown will make his second NBA Finals appearance as a coach, having previously guided the Cavaliers to their first Eastern Conference title in 2007.
The 37-point margin of defeat represented the worst playoff home loss in Cavaliers franchise history.
The Knicks controlled the boards completely, out-rebounding Cleveland 60-33. Backup center Mitchell Robinson was particularly effective, collecting 10 rebounds in just 18 minutes of action.
New York seized control early with a devastating 20-0 scoring run spanning 5 minutes and 52 seconds from the end of the first quarter into the second period. Towns capped the surge with a thunderous dunk, pushing the score to 50-26.
The lead continued to grow as New York eventually stretched their advantage to 61-32 following Shamet’s third three-pointer of the opening half.
Cleveland started strong as Mitchell tallied 10 points and Mobley scored seven in the game’s first six minutes, giving the Cavaliers a 17-14 edge. However, a 9-0 New York run flipped the momentum permanently. Robinson’s entrance sparked the Knicks with six points and four rebounds, fueling a 24-9 run to close the first quarter.
Cleveland was dealt an additional blow when backup point guard Dennis Schroder was ruled out due to illness shortly before tipoff.
Several notable celebrities attended the game courtside to support the Knicks, including comedian Tracy Morgan, filmmaker Spike Lee and actor Timothee Chalamet.
