Knicks romp past Cavaliers 99-79, take 2-1 series lead

NEW YORK (AP)— Back when the NBA playoffs were always part of the springtimeschedule at Madison Square Garden, this is what they lookedlike.

Tough toscore. Even a little tough to watch.

And on Fridaynight, the fans loved it.

Jalen Brunsonscored 21 points, RJ Barrett broke out of a slump with 19 and theNew York Knicks held the Cleveland Cavaliers to the lowest pointtotal in the NBA this season, rolling to a 2-1 lead in thefirst-round playoff series with a 99-79 victory.

The Knicksemphatically bounced back from a loss in Game 2 and moved halfwayto their first series victory since 2013. They led by 27 points inthe fourth quarter, when a sold-out crowd of 19,812 was so loudthere was little chance of hearing much of what the public addressannouncer was saying — especially as seldom-used veteran DerrickRose was checking into the game to a huge ovation.

“It was whatI expected for sure,” Knicks All-Star Julius Randle said. “A lotof, lot of energy and we were able to feed off it, so I loveit.”

Josh Hartadded 13 points for the fifth-seeded Knicks, who host Game 4 onSunday. They became the first team to allow fewer than 80 pointsduring the regular season or postseason.

DonovanMitchell scored 22 points for the Cavaliers, who never gavethemselves a chance with their most inept offensive performance ofthe season, rattled perhaps by the Knicks on the court and the fanssurrounding it.

“Not beingable to make shots definitely hurts as well, but it’s one of thosethings where we’ll be good,” Mitchell said. “Like, kind of breatheand relax and calm down.”

DariusGarland, who scored 32 points in Game 2, managed just 10 on4-for-21 shooting. Caris LeVert, moved into the starting lineupafter scoring 24 in that 107-90 victory, missed all six shots inthe first half before coming on late for 17 points.

Barrett was 6for 25 in the first two games but his shot was falling and heaggressively drove to the basket to get himself going. Plus, someof the Cavs’ 21 turnovers sent Barrett and the Knicks off to easytransition baskets.

It was justthe second time the playoffs came to Madison Square Garden in thelast 10 years and it looked like something played by the beloved1990s Knicks, who had the Garden rocking deep in many springs withtheir rugged brand of basketball.

“As abasketball player you kind of grow up thinking about moments likethese,” Barrett said. “It was electric in there and happy we get tocome back Sunday.”

Bodiescrashed to the floor or into each other, and once in a while theball went into the basket.

The Cavs had13 baskets and 12 turnovers at halftime, when the Knicks’ 4-for-19shooting from behind the arc looked practically hot compared to theCavs’ 2-for-19 effort.

The teamscombined to miss 20 of 23 3-pointers in a first quarter that endedtied at 17, and Garland (0 for 8) and Randle (0 for 5) couldn’t hitfrom anywhere. The Cavs’ worst previous effort this season was alsoagainst the Knicks, 81 points on Dec. 4.

“It wasnasty, like a lot of games have been with them this season,” LeVertsaid.

The Knicksran off six straight points in the second to open a 38-27 lead whenBrunson stole the ball from Mitchell and dunked it, then got thefinal five of the half on a 3-pointer by Immanuel Quickley andanother dunk off a Mitchell turnover, this one by Barrett, to makeit 45-32.

The offensesgot going in the third quarter, with both teams shooting above 50%and LeVert scoring 11 points. The Cavs got within single digitsbefore the Knicks closed the period on an 8-0 run to take a 72-55lead.

It was arough first playoff game back home for Mitchell, who was born inElmsford, New York, not far from where the Knicks practice, andthought he might be a Knick last summer before Utah instead tradedhim to Cleveland.

He said hecut off communication with some friends who were Knicks fans andleft some group chats so there would be no distractions. Usuallywarmly received in the arena, the fans even turned on the All-Starguard, loudly chanting “airball! airball!” when he was well off ona 3-pointer in the second quarter.

TIP-INS

Cavaliers:Garland left the game for a time in the fourth quarter afterhurting his ankle when he stepped on a photographer behind thebasket. ... The Cavs matched their worst first half in a playoffgame, also scoring 32 in an 81-76 loss to the Knicks in Game 3 of1996 playoffs. ... Isaac Okoro was benched for LeVert aftershooting 1 for 7 in the two games in Cleveland.

Knicks:Randle and Quickley each scored 11 points. ... Backup big manJericho Sims was out with a sore right shoulder. He hasn’t playedin the series.