The New York Knicks suffered a rough loss in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night (New York Post). The Cavaliers bounced back and defeated the Knicks 107-90, leaving the Knicks without any answers (New York Post).
One major issue for the Knicks was the struggles of Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett offensively (New York Post). Quickley, who had been performing well in recent games, suddenly struggled to rediscover his sixth sense on the court. Meanwhile, Barrett found it difficult to get buckets during the game.
The Knicks were also dealing with some injuries to their players. Josh Hart played through a sprained ankle during Game 2, but he struggled to play well (New York Post). On the other hand, Julius Randle endured a hard fall due to a flagrant foul from Jarrett Allen, but he is reportedly fine (New York Post).
The Knicks will need to address these concerns quickly if they want to win their first-round playoff series against the Cavaliers (Posting and Toasting). Despite their emphatic win in Game 1, the Knicks cannot afford to let their guard down in the playoffs. The Cavaliers’ Darius Garland, who vowed to push back in Game 2, is already proving to be a major threat (CBS Sports).
The Knicks will have to find a way to turn things around quickly if they hope to advance to the next round of the playoffs. While there is still plenty of basketball to be played, the Knicks can’t afford to let opportunities slip away if they want to succeed (CBS Sports).
