As the clock ticked down, Cleveland’s arena emptied fast. The New York Knicks had already erased any reason for fans to stay.
Karl-Anthony Towns delivered 19 points and 14 rebounds as New York stormed into the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999, dismantling the Cavaliers 130-93 in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals Monday night.
The Knicks extended their franchise-record playoff winning streak to 11 games, matching the third-longest run in a single postseason in league history, while their traveling fans turned Cleveland’s arena into a home crowd.
“Growing up in the New York area, I feel like the word hope has been gone for a long while, so to restore that is special,” Towns said. “There is nowhere better in the world than when Madison Square Garden has hope.”
OG Anunoby added 17 points and Landry Shamet scored 16 off the bench, going 4-for-4 from 3-point range. New York seized control early, building a 29-point lead in the second quarter and stretching it to 123-78 in the fourth.
Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges finished with 15 points apiece, and Josh Hart added six points, 11 rebounds and six assists. The former Villanova championship teammates relished the opportunity to win the East together.
“It’s something that is surreal,” Hart said. “We already share a bond and a brotherhood for life, and we’re going to keep adding memories for that.”
Brunson was named series MVP after averaging 25.5 points and 7.8 assists. The Knicks outscored opponents by 262 points during their winning streak, a dominant stretch across the regular season and playoffs.
Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 31 points, and Evan Mobley added 15 points and seven rebounds. Cleveland reached the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2018. James Harden finished with 12 points and five turnovers, missing all six of his 3-point attempts.
“Sometimes you’ve got to give the other team credit,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said. “They played great basketball and they’re on a heater.”
Mike Brown is heading to the NBA Finals for the second time as a head coach, having previously led the Cavaliers to their first Eastern Conference title in 2007.
The 37-point defeat was Cleveland’s largest in a home playoff game.
“We have unfinished business,” Mitchell said. “I have no doubt this group can get there.”
New York dominated the rebounding battle 60-33, with backup center Mitchell Robinson grabbing 10 rebounds in 18 minutes.
The Knicks delivered the decisive blow with a 20-0 run over 4:39 spanning late in the first quarter into the second. A dunk by Towns capped the surge, pushing the lead to 50-26.
New York built a 61-32 advantage on Shamet’s third 3-pointer of the half.
Cleveland opened strong, with Mitchell scoring 10 points and Mobley adding seven in the first six minutes to take a 17-14 lead. A 9-0 Knicks run then put New York ahead for good. Robinson made an early impact with six points and four rebounds, helping spark a 24-9 run to close the quarter.
Cleveland backup point guard Dennis Schroder was a late scratch due to illness.
Among the Knicks’ celebrity fans seated courtside were comedian Tracy Morgan, filmmaker Spike Lee and actor Timothee Chalamet.
