The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the New York Knicks 109-94. Let’s see who won and lost the night.
WINNER – Packing the Paint
Have you heard the term “open for a reason”? Well, after tonight, Josh Hart is certainly familiar.
The Cavs approached this game with a straightforward defensive game plan. Jarrett Allen matched up with Hart and chose to pack the paint rather than honor him as a three-point shooter. The results benefited Cleveland as they were able to crowd New York’s drives, while Hart only managed to shoot 2-8 from downtown.
Cleveland deployed a similar tactic whenever Jose Alverado was in the game. Alverado shot 1-4.
At times, I thought the Cavs were maybe being too lax about covering Hart. Surely he’s a good enough shooter to warrant some sort of closeout. But the Cavs bet against him tonight, and Hart wasn’t able to make them regret it.
Having more bodies in the paint is self-explanatory, especially against a Knicks team that has previously crushed Cleveland on the glass. Being able to stay home minimizes the damage that can be done through offensive rebounds. It also relieves pressure to scramble on the perimeter and forces the opponent into taking lower-quality shots.
Of course, it all becomes easier when your opponent is missing shots. New York finished the night shooting 10-37 (27%) from downtown overall.
LOSER – The James Harden Whistle
So… what’s going on?
Harden is historically known for having one of the best whistles the game has ever seen. Has that good fortune with the officials been canceled out by playing for a small-market team such as the Cavs?
Harden attempted zero free throws tonight for just the fifth time since 2021. It wasn’t for a lack of trying.
There was a point in this game where Harden got slammed on a drive to the basket. When he got back to his feet, Harden gave the officials a look of pure bilwederment and betrayal. This type of stuff hasn’t happened before.
Harden’s free-throw rate has plummeted since joining the Cavs. Part of that, I assume, is because he hasn’t been attempting field goals at nearly the same volume. He’s instead been playing the role of playmaker as he gets initiated with his new team.
But at a certain point… You begin to wonder.
WINNER – The Backcourt
Listen, it’s not always going to be perfect. The Cavs’ starting backcourt didn’t score efficiently or post an assist-to-turnover rate that will make you blush. But, they got the job done — and that means something when considering what this team looked like three months ago.
A big reason why Cleveland acquired James Harden was his availability. For all the great things that Darius Garland brought to the floor, his issue recently has simply been being on the floor. That’s why even an 8-18 shooting night from Harden can still feel like a massive win. Because even when things aren’t going exactly to plan — Harden can elevate the offense through his playmaking and… well, availability.
Pair that with Mitchell, who also had a tough shooting night (5-18) but made timely shots. The two guards combined for 43 points and kept relentless pressure on New York’s defense to contain them. That pressure creates gravity, and that gravity makes it so that other players, such as Jarrett Allen, can find the gaps and attack.
Sometimes, high volume is better than no volume. Efficiency is great, but it can also be overrated. The Cavs guards did what they needed to tonight.
