The Knicks head to Cleveland to take on the second-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers, who have the seed the Knicks really should have at this point of the season if it wasn’t for these stupid injuries.
But the Knicks could totally still win tonight, they always play so hard, and you know that they can win any game, especially since the Knicks have DDV and iHart back.
National TV game against the team they beat in the playoffs last year? This would be such a great statement game with Randle and OG getting healthier. Put some real doubt in the Cavs’ minds.
EDITED TO ADD: Oh, Mitchell and Lavert are out tonight. This changes everything! It’s no longer a statement game, but fuck that, it’s a very probable win. Just get that fucking win tonight, dudes! No excuse!
Let’s go, Knicks!!
258 replies on “2023-24 Game Thread Knicks @ Cavaliers (Future Second Round Playoff Opener, which is not a thing)”
Dang, I just did a little search that requires a longish post but now there’s a game thread up. Maybe for tomorrow morning…
Deuce-Deuce!
And I smell a Bogey break-out game…
Yes. I want this!
Tommy Beer:
Small rays of hope on the injury front and a Cavs team without Spida…
Let’s Go Knicks!
But is Thibs starting Hart, Precious, and Hartenstein again?
Bogey and Strus go bucket to bucket for the entire game, in “Let’s Play Turnstile!”
I agree Hubie, this is probably the “right” night for the “big” lineup…
Somebody tell Thibs that Precious stinks
Fml
Oh no. Oh no.
Oh god, It lasted less than a minute…
This is ridiculous.
Jesus
Oh boy.
Of course I tune in and the first frame on my TV is Jalen Brunson limping.
Why?
Why?
Why?
The snake bites again.
Looks like his ankle. Fuck. Fuck.
This sport is bad
Fuck right off.
Time to loose the Deuce, I guess?
Or make a Milt Shake?
That looked very strange.
I fear it’s the knee… jusus…
Almost. He’s not here, but we now need the 47 minutes more than before.
We’ve been thru some horrific seasons but it’s gotten to the point where I’m not sure I’ve ever wanted a season to end already.
Yeah, could be the knee. Fuuuuuck.
What’s up with Burks? He’s not on the bench?
Okay, maybe they won’t get HCA.
Non-contact on the gather and explode. Usually not good.
Yankees season starts in 25 days!
They might win this game without Brunson. This is the same disorganized Cavs team we saw in the playoffs last year.
I’ll see you guys next year!
Fuck fuck fuck
Knee ankle or Achilles
Why would you ever let DDV shoot with this lineup?
Precious sure is open a lot at the three-point line…
Sigh.
I hope I’m wrong but my guess is ACL
My only ray of hope is that he grabbed at such a weird spot a decent distance below the knee.
Knicks will be lucky not to lose by 20 tonight.
Yeah it might be time to find a new sport to follow.
How’s hockey? My wife’s from Michigan and seems to like it
It looked like a knee injury, his foot was flopping around, he grabbed the shin area.
I think his leg just flat blew up.
What a bizzare looking injury he just took a shot, looked perfectly normal
It looks like he banged knee-against-knee with a defender while cutting to get the ball and then, on the gather he “feeled it”…
I fear ACL like d-mar, hoping to be way wrong…
the game tonight is the least of our concerns, might be time to tell Julius to just get that surgery
Yeah, just get the surgery, Julius.
Is there any way to just disband the franchise
Fuck it, might as well enjoy this game. Might be the last good moment of the year.
Argh, this Cavs team is so not good. This makes me so mad.
11 unanswered Knick points. The Matrix is messing with us.
Looked like stress fracture/broken leg. I’ll be shocked if he’s not done for the year. Get Randle into surgery to start the tank and replenish the bench in the draft.
I’ll just point out that we’re winning.
The last good moment of the year happened long ago
Ouch, he banged knee with I-Hart! 🙁
Cursed franchise.
No interest in this game whatsoever. Fuck everything.
Man his foot is just sort of flopping around when he’s coming off the court
They took too long to double DDV.
Letting DDV shoot is such a tactical failure by Cleveland.
OK maybe the Knicks won’t lose by 20 tonight…
People are talking Bickerstaff for CoY and yet every time we see the Cavs, they’re so undisciplined.
im in an air bnb with no cable and my league pass won’t work cuz its on espn…but i am guessing brunson just did the Antonio McDyess 2.0?
Maybe Bojan’s hand is still in Philly…
I could see so many possibilities for Brunson’s injury, but none of them are good.
An exhausted Shake Milton is going to be our starting PG in the play-in tourney
I keep forgetting the Thibs offensive system is unstoppable. The players don’t matter.
A smart team would just tank the rest of the season. No need for any of these injured players to play a single minute.
The FO should not allow Thibs to have access to any players who are part of the future plans.
Looks like the Shake Milton signing was clairvoyant.
Is Doris doing this on her own on the mic? That’s so weird.
Noble, I appreciate your position, but so far this game has been really fun, outside of, you know… marking the end of the season in terms of doing anything in the playoffs.
Could the Knicks just be straight with us this time, please? I don’t have the wherewithal for another round of dealing with them treating injury news like they’re the fucking Kremlin
Thibs will still play Josh Hart 45 minutes, won’t he?
There is an air bubble over Bobo’s head in which it says, “I am the best shooter on the floor. Why don’t I have the ball?”
I love Deuce. I hate Burks.
At this point, I don’t think reality even matters (whether the injuries are his fault or not) – I assume no serious player will want to come and play for Thibs.
Fitting to lose to a Cavs team lead by Sam Merrill.
Might have to consider shitcanning Thibs and bringing in a coach who will do load management. This might not be his fault but I don’t know if it’s a great idea to repeat this experiment next year.
So the blame is back on Thibs, huh?
These Cav fouls are idiotic.
I’ve rewatched it like 20 times and he really just takes a jumper, it’s a perfectly normal looking play.
I also love that they’re FINALLY playing through iHart on the post like Jokic. And it’s not so bad (at least they’re not completely disorganized like they would be with anyone else on the team trying to drive the offense).
This isn’t Thibs’ fault. Come on. It was a non-contact injury in the first minute.
Who is that with her?
A UPS drone just brought back Bojan’s hand… 🙂
Brunson is questionable to return with a sore left knee. Yeah I’m sure that’s all it is….
Katz says he’s questionable to return…sounds like bullshit but we can hope
Thought bubble over Bobo’s head: “Finally.”
It’s not Doris Burke on ESPN, it’s 2 other women on the broadcast.
That’s what they all say, idk I guess knee is better than achilles?
Brunson isn’t coming back in this game
I think folks need to wait for The Woj or Shams tweet coming tonight for a real update
My name is his injury….
I mean, don’t they have to accurately report the injury? Maybe this is a miracle!
Alright fuck it, let’s keep Merrill in check and win this damn game!
“Sore left knee questionable to return” feslly sounds like the Monty Python knight “it’s just a flesh wound”
Generally, I like what they’re saying. I’m just too ignorant to know who they are.
I sure would enjoy them kicking the Cavs’ ass more if Brunson was not seriously hurt.
The only hope for Brunson is banging his knee with iHart right before the shot attempt is really what is hurting him and not anything else.
It’s not that it’s Thibs’ fault.
The reality, however, is that next year 4/5 of our starting lineup is going to be guys who are coming off of surgeries. That team is going to desperately need load management. Thibs is not the guy you want coaching that team.
Meanwhile this is some fucking embarrassing defense by the Knicks.
Fingers crossed! But why couldn’t he put any weight on his leg while trying to stand up?
Did anyone know Deuce had that in his bag?
This also reminds me of the scene in Spinal Tap when they’re all arguing in the dressing room after the Stonehenge debacle, and then Derek Smalls says “Guys, at this point I raise a practical question. (long beat) Are we gonna do Stonehenge tomorrow night?”
LOL 😀
Opening the valve to my tank of copium and putting the mask over my mouth and nose
“What are the symptoms of a peroneus longus injury? Peroneal tendon injuries can be acute, meaning the injury occurred suddenly, or chronic, meaning that damage occurred over time. Symptoms of peroneal tendon injuries can include pain and swelling, weakness in the foot or ankle, warmth to the touch, and a popping sound at the time of injury.” — NIH.gov
Can we try to shoot the fucking ball when we’re open?
Getting killed off the dribble by Isac fucking Okoro.
I’m wishcasting so bad.
Precious may suck, but he’s doing some good things…
Allen taking jumpers is so dumb.
Thibs can shout at Bojan all he wants for that pass, but can the guy get a proper pick in this game? Or is that not on the menu?
That was an embarrassing 2nd quarter for the Knicks but what else is new.
I do like these announcers. One of them may be named Stephanie.
Yeah, Stephanie White and ….?
My point is not that it was Thibs’ fault – I don’t think most of the injuries they’ve had are his fault either. But at some point – which might be now – there will be a narrative that he runs his players to the ground, and it will make it harder to get the Knicks good players.
Josh has 10 rebounds and 6 assists at the half, but Miles is KILLING him in minutes played, 23 to 21.
So who’s excited for a Knicks Pacers play in game?!?!
If this is the starting lineup? Nobody at all
Well the good news is that they may have fired Steven A. Smith.
Probably not, but I’ll take the quiet half-time show today.
Bob Myers laughed at the “sore knee” description.
That narrative has been with Thibs for years
Eric Friedman, MD
@sportsinjuryMD
Thanks for this clip! This is very very reassuring. His lateral knee gets hit right before Jalen Brunson jumps. Could have caused a peroneal nerve contusion which gives you a dead leg and you’re not able to lift your ankle up. This is a days to week injury usually #knicks
https://x.com/sportsinjuryMD/status/1764455939577372720?s=20
Stephanie White and Beth Moen I believe.
LOL
Evan Fournier lead the Pistons in scoring today (they lose by 22 in Orlando)…
Beth Mowins and Stephanie White on the mic. Good job!
Beth Mowins
I think I read that Grimes was out again with his bad knee.
Man, fingers so crossed on this Brunson news.
Yes, he didn’t play.
Beth Mowins is the Stonehenge of announcers.
Donte too?
Brian, that Bojan pass came just as I was thinking Bojan might be worth more than Grimes. It was like even thinking something good jinxed us.
The Knicks might not be the team who does it, but the Cavs are not going up do well in the playoffs. This team is undisciplined and dumb.
Precious putting it on the floor for the haters 😉
A Precious/I-Hart 2-men play is something…
I have *sooooo* many complaints about the modern Adam Silver NBA that I better check myself. But I just noticed something I just CANNOT get past.
The NBA has now “sponsored” the Refs.
Meaning that the Refs have an NBA logo on their shirt and, right under it, an “Emirates” logo. Am I being too sensitive? Does anyone else agree that “sponsored” refs are just about the dumbest idea imaginable?
Now Brunson is officially “out.” This better not be some death by a thousand cuts bullshit.
It’s disgusting…
Donte and the Brunson hopium have made me care about the Knicks again after swearing off them like an hour ago
I love that they’re letting DDV shoot. Fucking morons.
Can we give Deuce a breather?
With this Devo breakout season can you just imagine this team healthy?
It’s easy if you try….
Has McBride played every minute since Brunson went out?
I’m not blaming Thibs (yet), but technically a contact injury would absolve him more. A non contact injury (especially one in the first minute) strongly suggests a player who needed some rest.
Wow did they fuck up that 2-for-1
Not doubling DDV in this lineup is just insane.
Yes
All sarcasm and frustration aside this has been a helluva performance by the Knicks so far. Would be awesome if they can hold on and pull this game out.
How in the world are we winning? Mitchell really makes Cleveland go, eh?
I don’t get how we gave up that last 3 to Merrill…
Wow. I hope McBride can do it. We actually seem to miss Arcidiacono (at least until we get Milton)
FWIW I blame Raven.
I think he got shook by the Shake acquisition and made a monkey’s paw wish for Deuce to keep his playing time.
It was really a chain of events that started with Hart taking an ill-advised 3 to try to get a 2-for-1, but (i) he shot from way too far; and (ii) he shot way too early, allowing Strus in turn to get a good 2-for-1. That little mistake cost the Knicks a net 4 points.
Josh Hart is a baller.
Can the Hart haters maybe stfu for a while? The guy plays his ass off.
The Cavs are acting like this is a preseason game. What does Bickerstaff do well exactly?
Deuce needed to hit that wide ass open 3pter.
Bojan!!
Merrill is the Cavs version of Steve Novak
Sam Merrill has a very punch-able face.
Four point play Bojan!!
Bobo: “Ball for me, please. I will give you points. Simple game.”
Bogey threatening to outscore Quentin Grimes’ Detroit Pistons career tonight
Deuce! Big Shot!
So… I turn the TV on and immediately find out Brunson is injured… WTF?!?!?!
Hart has a 10-17-10 triple double.
Hart calling his own number there instead of passing to Bogey really sucked
Mobley’s basketball IQ is single digits.
.
We need to stop slandering Josh he can’t shoot but he’s a fucking worker
iHart wants blood for blood.
That was a challenge by Thibs right?
Deuce ahd J-Hart are at 44 and 42 minutes, I’ll give them a pass on bad plays because they must be exausted…
Thibs might have to play himself soon. What position does he play?
Ex-Heat Max Strus.
Cavs have taken 43 shots from beyond the 3pt line and counting.
D-mar, Yes
Great challenge
I really want to win this game.
Jesus, Bojan.
He’s been great all game but how the fuck does Bojan miss back to back wide open 3s that bad.
Bogey hits one of those and its ball game
Guy loves missing wide open ones here
So many flashbacks to how stupid and gutless the Cavs were in the playoffs last year.
If Bojan could hit a shot would really be fantastic
JB putting the Bicker in Bickerstaff
Bojan is 8 for 15 and has hit all of his FTs so he’s making shots tonight but fuck those were bad misses.
JOSH FUCKING HART
Omigod Josh
Josh!
JOSH HART MAKES BASKETBALL PLAYS
Game ball Hart.
Hart with a flashback to Game 1 of the playoffs!
What a game by Hart. Incredible.
I would die for Josh Hart
Yeah, Hart the MVP tonight. I said early on that they could totally win this without Brunson. I can’t exaggerate how sloppy this Cavs team is. They get by on just purely talent.
“Wilt” McBride should be right at 47 minutes when this is over.
I know these guys are playing a ton of minutes but what’s Thibs supposed to do? Put in Charlie Brown and bad Toppin?
Deeeeeeuce!
Deuce with the dagger!
Deuce!!
deuce dagger
Fuck Cleveland lmfao
PLEASE let us play them in the first round.
I love this team… and J-Hart hates the Cavs!
This game is really flattering our team’s INCREDIBLE depth.
Losing this game with 4/5 of the starting lineup out is as embarrassing as how the Cavs were beat down by the Knicks in the playoffs.
Considering the circumstances biggest win of the season.
Fuck you, Cavs, you losers. This has got to mess with their heads to know that they’re this much of a bunch of losers.
And you know what they say — we beat them twice.
First, they lost the game.
Second, they are in Cleveland.
Mitchell isn’t staying in Cleveland
Total team win and now all fingers crossed for Jalen…
Was Hart messing with Mitchell after hitting that 3?
This is a golden win in every respect. Now let’s hope JB is not out for the season.
Granted it doesn’t really matter if Brunson is badly hurt but still a very fun win.
I hope Shake is working the treadmill, getting in game shape…
Cavs not exactly beating the Knicks Jr. allegations.
If Brunson is okay: massive win that feels like it could be a turning point of sorts, the role players showed they can be lethal in appropriately sized roles
If Brunson has a serious injury: fuck everything
We’ve been going through a rough patch but what a gutsy win this was. Hart and McBride with the stuff of heroes. Cavs without Mitchell are no bueno but I’ve never really been impressed with them despite their big run anyway.
Fingers crossed Brunson injury is not too serious and OG comes back soon.
Hartenstein pushing a triple double pace in 22min
Knicks outrebounded Cavs by 8, Cleveland really is beyond soft.
Gutsy, gutsy win.
How long can these guys endure? The depth of the Knicks is obvious. I guess we find out about Shake Milton soon.
According to Clyde and Pidto he did it. 🙂
Get some good news on Brunson and this night will go from potential disaster to sweet pretty quickly
Yeah that was the best iHart game in a good while
Meanwhile, a pretty much full strength Pacers team with fake all-star Haliburton loses to the Spurs.
Mobley with the ball was just hilarious. Like a fucking idiot.
I was going to say that if they avoid a serious Brunson injury, this could be like the Francisco Cervelli home run in 2009.
Cavs had equal and probably more talent on the roster tonight, but they looked messy, chaotic at times. Their coach, unlike ours, could not get the maximum out of his players. I said it before, and I repeat it again: Thibs, with all his faults, is the best thing that happened to this franchise in a quarter of a century.
Deuce earned his contract extension tonight.
If Mitchell leaves, the whole “build around Garland and Mobley” thing will be hilarious.
X-Rays negative, knee contusion. Whatever that means.
It bugged me that Bojan had two wide-open 3’s in crunch time and the result was an airball and a brick.
There is a God.
“X-Rays negative, knee contusion. Whatever that means.”
Only an MRI can give you a definitive diagnosis, but it sounds something as serious as a torn ACL is somewhat ruled out.
Even without Spida, the Cavs have a more than capable rotation on paper. That team needs a new coach.
And they were talking about him for COY!!!
Good thing is Knicks host the collapsing Hawks on Tuesday then don’t play again until Friday.
What I think this win does is it buys a bit more time for OG…now there’s no pressure to bring him back for the ATL game.
Thibs said Brunson banged his knee on the play so sounds like it really is just a knee contusion, maybe we really can exhale.
Wow, that’s amazing.
Josh Hart deserves some kind of combo iron man/hustle bunny award. I really hope Thibs doesn’t break him down too. Even Iron Man has to recharge. 13-19-10. 19 rebounds as a 6′ 4″ wing is ridiculous. His unwillingness to shoot at times can be frustrating, but this guys a LOT of wins.
We can now celebrate this win fully!!
Looking at OKC , I kind of feel like they really should have gone hard after OG (and am thankful they didn’t). Imagine him instead of Giddey in that starting lineup.
Mitchell is pretty important to them. Garland is good, but he’s not a #1. That’s been the argument against Mitchell also, but I think he’s having a career best year and he’s a much better scorer than Garland.
… I *still* wouldn’t trade rosters with Cleveland (but I’m insane). 😉
The Spurs aren’t exactly good but they are different now that Wemby seems to be figuring things out, they fucked up OKC last game too. If Wemby stays healthy it looks like the rest of the league is in huge trouble in like 2 years.
Doris Burke is working this OKC/PHX game
I wonder if there was some kind of patella dislocation…
I just realized that Beal is back and Booker is out. We may never find out if that trio works well together. Someone is always out. It’s starting to remind me of Durant, Harden, and Irving.
Hart is shooting I believe 41% from 3pt range since the All-Star break.
Jeez what a relief. I’m not used to “better than best case scenario” being the actual outcome. Many years of Dolan’s Razor has beaten that out of me. Great win that I can now enjoy.
I feel like we all overcorrected to too much optimism now? I don’t think Brunson is out of the woods.
Ironically, the Spurs could really use Murray. One of either Murray or Trae Young is fairly likely to be traded. Murray looks better without Trae. So he may be the one that winds up staying. There’s talk of Trae to San Antonio, but I think Pop might want Murray back.
I don’t think Brunson will be back next game but it seems like he could only miss a week or 2 which is definitely better than rest of the season.
The Cavs aren’t as bad as they looked tonight because Mitchell is really good, but they’re still way too undisciplined and stupid. They will definitely fall apart in the playoffs unless they get some crazy good matchups.
If it’s just a knee contusion, that shouldn’t even be more than a couple of games off.
I hope you are all correct on Brunson. Really do!
Depleted as we are, we outrebounded them once again! If Thibs were their coach, he’d have either shot Allen and Mobley tonight or shot himself! Nihil tertium! 😂 😂😂
I can’t help thinking that the Cavs managed to do well when Mobley and Garland were out because it removed JB from the equation a bit, and allowed them to basically surround Mitchell with the types of players he needs. Mobley crowds his space even more than Julius does for the Knicks.
Lol, apparently Bickerstaff said this about Hart’s energy plays before the game:
“We’re going to try our best to eliminate those type of plays because we’re not going to allow him to outwork us.”
It’s really funny how, as good as this win was, it really was more about the Cavs being soft stupid pieces of garbage, ya know? A less soft, weak-minded team would have totally beaten the Knicks tonight. This Cavs team is such a joke. They do have some talent, though, so hopefully they don’t get a better coach who teaches them more about accountability.
I don’t trust anything coming from this management team when it comes to injuries. I want an independent review of the x-rays, MRI and any others scans/tests done before I’ll believe anything from these bull shitters.
donte, josh, a healthier isaiah, an emerging deuce, bogey finding his legs…
deuce ain’t afraid to pull the trigger no more, he is locked and loaded…
we should compete with the hawks on tuesday…give them another 40 plus minutes of josh hart and miles mcbride playing harder than anyone else on the court…
this probably needs to be jericho’s final year with the team, precious is a better player and fit for the team…