NBA: Knicks down Cavaliers, advance to Eastern Conference semis
Julius Randle of the New York Knicks attempts to shoot while being defended by Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Danny Green during the first quarter of Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 26, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Getty Images via AFP)
NEW YORK – The New York Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 106-95 to complete a 4-1 series victory and advance to the NBA Eastern Conference playoff semi-finals on Wednesday.
Jalen Brunson scored 23 points and RJ Barrett 21 as the Knicks produced a clinical wire-to-wire victory on the road to book their place in the next round.
The win was New York’s first playoff series victory since 2013. They will face either Miami or Milwaukee for a place in the Eastern Conference finals.
Needing a win to stay alive on their home court, Cleveland were left chasing the game after the Knicks surged into a 33-26 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Cavs were never able to claw back that deficit, as the Knicks balanced offense continued to score consistently throughout.
Cleveland managed to get within six points in the fourth quarter, but the Knicks promptly stitched together a 10-2 run to take the game away from the hosts.
Six Knicks players finished in double figures, with Immanuel Quickley scoring 19 and Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson 13 points apiece.
The only sour note for New York was an injury to Randle, who left the game late in the second quarter after appearing to roll his left ankle.
Randle has had problems with his left ankle after a sprain in March although he returned for game one of the series with Cleveland.
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