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CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers are a vastly different team now than they were three years ago. Yet, here they are in a similar spot they were then: Losing to the New York Knicks in the playoffs in humiliating fashion. Just this time, it’s in the Eastern Conference Finals instead of the first round.
And somehow, the gap feels wider now. Or at least it has through three games.
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The Knicks outclassed the Cavs in nearly every area, as they came away with a 121-108 Game 3 victory in a contest they never trailed in. They now have a 3-0 lead with a chance of ending Cleveland’s season on Monday.
It’s clear who’s been better through three games. The Knicks are just a complete basketball team in a way that the Cavs aren’t.
Offensively, they have a better understanding of how they want to attack their opponent. They’re lethal at all three levels. That variety means they aren’t overly reliant on the three-ball or getting to the free-throw line.
Each starter can pass, dribble, and shoot at an average level or better. If you sell out to stop one, there’s someone behind them capable of making you pay for it.
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They aren’t without deficiencies defensively. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are both below-average defenders for their position, but the team compensates for that well.
The Knicks know how to keep both from being on an island defensively. The player they’re trying to hide is comfortable hedging and then recovering back to his man, while the more adept defender fights through the screen. That’s something you need to be proficient at if you know your opponent is going to try to single someone out.
But more than that, they have principles that guide them defensively. They’ve relentlessly tagged the roller and have sold out to stop interior passes and easy looks around the rim. That can make them susceptible to outside shots, but hasn’t thus far this postseason.
This stands in stark contrast with the Cavs.
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Cleveland doesn’t have those same guiding principles on either end. They’re too willing to take the path of least resistance. That has allowed the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/10-takeaways-cavs-game-3-100000952.html
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Publish date : 2026-05-24 10:00:00
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