Knicks Take 3-0 Lead on Cavs, One Win From First NBA Finals Since 1999
New York's 121-108 Game 3 win extends their playoff winning streak to 10. Jalen Brunson dropped 31 and the Knicks have crushed Cleveland by double digits five straight times.
The Knicks aren't just winning. They're embarrassing people.
New York 121, Cleveland 108. Game 3. Series lead: 3-0. And nine of the Knicks' 11 playoff wins this postseason have come by double digits.
That's not a hot streak. That's a buzzsaw.
The Knicks are one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.
Brunson, Bridges, and a bench that's earning its keep
Jalen Brunson did Jalen Brunson things — 31 points, with 21 coming in the second half when Cleveland tried to climb back in. Mikal Bridges added 22. OG Anunoby went for 21 and 7 boards.
The surprise piece: Landry Shamet off the bench dropped four threes, three of them in the second half. When your reserves are hitting like that, the rotation is doing what coaches dream about — guys staying engaged because they actually get minutes that matter.
Coach Mike Brown explained the philosophy in a way that captures the whole season:
"They would say, 'It's not about now; it's about the postseason.' You keep guys engaged by you doing that."
Translation: Brown kept his bench fresh during the regular season specifically so they'd be sharp right now. Josh Hart's minutes dropped from 37.6 last season to 30.2 this year. That's not luck. That's planning.
The numbers behind the dominance
A few stats from this game and the run as a whole:
- Cleveland shot 12-for-41 from three (29.3%)
- The Knicks are only the eighth team in NBA history to win five straight playoff games by 10+ points
- New York has played just 8 games in this stretch while Cleveland has played 13 since April 29
That last number is doing a lot of work. The Cavs are running on fumes. The Knicks are walking into Game 4 fresher than the team they're trying to eliminate.
What's next
Game 4 is in Cleveland. The Knicks have a chance to close out this series on the road and lock up an Eastern Conference Finals appearance — possibly against either Indiana or Boston.
A sweep here would also extend their playoff winning streak to 11. That's the kind of stretch that changes what people expect from a franchise that's been trying to climb back to relevance for two decades.
The Bottom Line
New York isn't sneaking up on anybody. They're up 3-0, they're winning by 13+ a night, and their bench is contributing in a postseason where most rotations have been cut to seven. The Knicks have one foot in the Finals — and they look like the most rested team left in basketball.