CLEVELAND – A few notes from the Knicks’ Game 3 win over the Cavaliers…
BALANCING ACT
All five starters in double figures. The top two scorers on the other team turning it over 11 times. Twenty-seven assists on 43 made field goals. Starters combining for 11 steals.
The Knicks’ 10th straight win was a true team effort, and it featured strong contributions from the players Leon Rose and the front office acquired during the Jalen Brunson era.
Brunson, obviously the biggest move, had 30 points on 19 shots. Josh Hart – traded for a first-round pick and Cam Reddish – had 12 points, nine rebounds, five assists and four steals. Karl-Anthony Towns – traded for Julius Randle, Donte Divincenzo and a first-round pick – had a game-high seven assists and 0 turnovers in 36 minutes. OG Anunoby – acquired for a package that included RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a second-round pick – had 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
But arguably the biggest contribution came from the player acquired in the most controversial trade of the Rose era.
Mikal Bridges had 22 points, six rebounds, two assists, three steals and two blocks in Game 3.
Bridges’ play is one of the driving forces behind the Knicks’ 10-game playoff win streak, and it’s one of the biggest reasons they are one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance in 26 years.
“He’s all about winning. Everything else doesn’t matter for him. I think that’s why he’s playing well right now,” Hart said late Saturday night. “Because he’s not focused on shots, touches, those kinds of things. He’s focused on how can I help this team win? I’m not surprised. Because that’s the player he is. I’ve seen him since he was 17. That’s the kind of person that he is.”
Bridges has been uneven in his first two regular seasons with the Knicks, but he had great moments in the postseason last year (big defensive plays against Boston and timely scoring in New York’s two comeback road wins to open the series). And he’s followed up with another stellar postseason this spring.
After struggling on offense in the first three games against Atlanta, Bridges has been on a tear. In the nine wins prior to Game 3, Bridges was averaging 16 points on 67 percent shooting (49 percent from beyond the arc).
In the Cleveland series, he’s played excellent team defense and has done a remarkable job defending James Harden.
“It’s a lot of reps. A lot of time,” Bridges said of his experience guarding Harden. “And I’m grateful he was in the West when I was in the West so I got to line up against him a lot of times.”
At least for the next few days, you won’t hear many Knick fans complain about the five first-round picks the club sent to Brooklyn to acquire Bridges. The veteran wing has solidified his status as a playoff riser, and he’s not concerned about the outside expectations that surround his play.
“There’s nothing he can do about it. He didn’t call Leon and say, ‘Yo this is the trade package’, you know what I mean? He got put into this situation and he hit the ground running,” Hart said. “We wouldn’t be here without him. Last year, you can look – how many games has he won for us in terms of getting stops, down the stretch, steals, blocks, big shots, he’s won games in every single way for us and that’s why we want him, that’s why he’s here.”
RUNNING PLAY
The Knicks put pressure on a tired Cavs team by pushing the ball in transition. They also were the more physical team again in the series. Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson knows the Knicks are executing a gameplan by doing so.
“Listen, there’s no big mystery,” Atkinson said after Game 3. “Our guys have played 50 percent more minutes than them. If I’m the opposing coach, I’m like, “Man, get these guys, run these guys, wear them out, be super physical.” It’s a good strategy. But we were not sharp in transition. We weren’t sprinting back like we should tonight.”
BEEN HERE BEFORE
Many of the 2024-25 Knicks are still with the team. That continuity has proved valuable in the postseason.
“Just knowing what it takes, especially losing it, too. Learning from that,” Bridges said. “That always sticks with you. It helps you know you got to be real grateful to be in these moments, don’t take it for granted, and take every possession by possession. And don’t skip a possession, don’t skip a play. Go out there and give all you got. Because it’s not easy to get here, and you’re not going to get here all the time.”
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