The New York Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-104 on Tuesday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden.
The matchup spotlighted Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell returning to his home state and the injury comeback of New York’s OG Anunoby.
Anunoby, who missed time with a hamstring injury, was cleared to play after practicing fully. He provided an immediate boost to a Knicks team chasing greatness.
Mitchell was locked in but faced heavy defensive pressure all night from New York’s defense.
Before the game, analysts focused heavily on Mitchell’s playmaking and Anunoby’s health as key factors for same-game parlays.
Despite the hype of playing in front of a hometown crowd, Mitchell remained focused on the bigger picture, stating, “Yeah it’s great I get to play at home, woo, but it doesn’t matter.”
He emphasized that the team needed to stay focused, adding, “We’ve got to be locked in and ready to go and I know we will be.”
Knicks star Jalen Brunson, who scored 38 points, set the tone early. Reflecting on the intense rivalry and the high stakes, Brunson simply declared, “It’s go-time now.”
