The New York Knicks suffered a 107-90 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series. Despite playing through an ankle injury, Josh Hart struggled on the court. Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett also had a rough night offensively, with Quickley needing to rediscover his “sixth sense.”
The Knicks’ head coach, Tom Thibodeau, made a controversial decision that ultimately contributed to the team’s defeat. Thibodeau chose to keep Julius Randle in the game despite his poor performance, which was symbolic of the team’s overall failure in Game 2.
The Cavaliers, led by Darius Garland, were able to bounce back and even out the series at one game apiece. In an interview, Garland had promised that the Cavaliers would push back in Game 2, and he followed through on that promise with an impressive performance on the court.
Despite losing by a significant margin, Julius Randle suffered a hard fall on a flagrant foul by Jarrett Allen but is reportedly “fine.” Randle had previously admitted that he was “tired as hell” during his return from an ankle injury for the first game of the series.
In their coverage of the Knicks-Cavs series, The Athletic noted that the Knicks have made it clear what they’re willing to give up in their defense strategy. And in a preview of Game 2, CBS Sports ran odds and predictions based on a model that has been on a 71-37 run.
As the series continues, fans of the Knicks remain hopeful that the team can make a comeback and come out on top.
