Who had put what in the pre-game soup? Four quarters of basketball purge on the Cavs side, the Knicks only had to perform their bare minimum to afford the third game of the series on a plateau. This is not necessarily how we imagine a Playoffs match.
The pretty homemade boxscore is HERE!
10 points at 4/21 in shooting including 1/7 at 3-pointers, 3 lost balls, 2 fouls and -21 from plus/minus in 33 minutes of play: I am, I am, I am…? Darius Garlandthe dunce cap of this meeting, symbol of a trying match for the Cavaliers and the maintenance of their ambitions.
RJ Barrett and Jalen Brunson only had to be in their regular standards – not even the top bracket – to stick a 20-point gap on the Cavaliers. This happened very naturally, between the 2nd and 3rd quarter, when the disorganization of the Cavaliers was the most total. The figures for JB Bickerstaff’s men are embarrassing: 7/33 from 3-point range, 20 loose balls, 2/7 shooting from the bench, only sixteen assists. Hey, sixteen assists in 48 minutes, mind you. That’s the stat for a big Chris Paul game. Suddenly, it is also the stat of a tiny game of the Cavaliers, who have become the first team to score less than 80 points in these 2023 Playoffs. Big defense for the Knicks? There’s a bit of that, but it’s mostly a big shot in the foot that the guys from Ohio shot themselves by neglecting the intensity of their hosts. Immanuel Quickley released his best career Playoff game with 11 points at 4/6 shooting and… +27 from plus/minus. Josh Hart, author meanwhile of 13 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals, is still surly. And then there is Julius Randlewho had the luxury of a Playoffs match at 3/15 in shooting for… +19 from plus/minus. Big contrast that does not happen often in a career: it seems that it is even more pleasant than thirty points in victory. The impression of having collected an 18 without opening a single book.
For the clever pleasure of a meeting deprived of suspense, Derrick Rose made its first comeback since February 26 – and only its third in 2023. garbage time horrifying at 0/4 shooting for the legendary point guard, too short on each of his floaters or mid-range shots. There’s also Raul Neto who tried to start a little front to front with a guy from the Knicks, but the game was basically over after 30 minutes – and interest had already turned to Wolves – Nuggets underway.
OH MY OBI 🫣@IQ_GodSon ➡️ @obitoppin1 pic.twitter.com/ACPnFitew7
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) April 22, 2023
It’s 2-1 for the Knicks who, in addition to taking their home game, have been full of confidence. The defense has put on its finest cuirass. The titus were able to rest. The final difference is substantial. This is how you had to punch and put a distance with the Cavaliers to maintain the advantage of the field. Hats off.
