Donovan Mitchell scored 27 points, Evan Mobley added 21 and the Cleveland Cavaliers bullied the New York Knicks from the start Friday night, winning 142-105 in a matchup of two of the Eastern Conference’s top teams.
Only the Cavs looked elite, winning their sixth straight and improving the NBA’s best record to 46-10. Cleveland has won 14 games by 20-plus points, matching its most in a season in franchise history. The Cavs also topped 140 points for the fourth time in 2024-25, their most in franchise history.
Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson, when asked, said he didn’t view it as a statement win, however.
“No, no, no. I think we played well, I thought we were focused, but I wouldn’t call it a statement win,” Atkinson said. “They’re obviously a really good team, we were at home, but I think we got good feedback on what could work if you play this team in the playoffs. That’s probably the most important thing.”
The 37-point loss was the Knicks’ largest under coach Tom Thibodeau and tied for the third largest in Thibodeau’s head coaching career.
“Right from the start,” Thibodeau said of where things went wrong.
“Just can’t give in, and that’s the biggest thing,” Thibodeau said. “You can’t allow anything to break you. You got to have the mental toughness to get through things. And so, there’s got to be a lot more resolve, particularly on the road against the team that is this good, you know?”
It’s a big weekend for both teams as the Knicks are in Boston on Sunday and the Cavs host the top-scoring Memphis Grizzlies that night.
