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Knicks vs. Cavaliers live score, updates, highlights from Game 1 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Finals playoff series originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
After a surprising blowout win in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinal round, the Cleveland Cavaliers travel to New York to take on the Knicks in Game 1. While the Cavaliers needed seven games to advance, the Knicks have been off for eight days following their sweep of the 76ers.
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Cleveland survived Detroit, but have yet to give consistent performances over multiple games. There have been games where Donovan Mitchell is flirting with 40 points. There have been games won on a good James Harden performance. However, Mitchell, Harden, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have not hit on all cylinders in the same game yet.
New York is in a great situation. Home court advantage, they are 8-2 in these playoffs and in their wins they have put up between 113 and 144 points in those games. The Knicks have played the best of any Eastern Conference team thus far in the playoffs.
Cleveland will need to be the aggressor in each of the games in this series if they hope to make it competitive. If the Knicks can keep doing what they’ve been doing and Cleveland does not find consistency, this could be a short series.
NBA PLAYOFFS HQ: Live scores | Full schedule | Updated bracket
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Cavaliers vs. Knicks live updates, highlights from NBA playoffs Game 1
4th Quarter-8:39: Dennis Schroder finds Dean Wade for a 23-foot three-point shot. He was fouled on the play and made the extra free throw. Extending the Cavaliers lead to +20.
4th Quarter-9:17: Karl Anthony Towns makes a two-point shot. Putting an end to the scoreless streak by both teams to start the 4th quarter.
The Cleveland Cavaliers lead the New York Knicks 83-69 after three quarters
3rd Quarter-1:09: Donovan Mitchell takes the inbounds pass and weaves coast to coast virtually untouched for a contested layup. Cavs lead by 14.
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3rd Quarter-1:52: Jalen Brunson makes a running layup between two Cleveland defenders. That is Brunson’s first field goal since the end of the 2nd quarter. Cavaliers lead by 13.
3rd Quarter-2:38: CLE has employed “hack-a-Robinson”. He has been sent to the free throw line. Attempting to prevent him from getting hot as a shooter. As a team, the Knicks are shooting 17% from three on 23 attempts.
3rd Quarter-3:05: The Knicks are sending two defenders when Mitchell gets the ball in the last few minutes. That has led to the Cavaliers finding an open shooter. With Sam Merrill being the beneficiary twice in the last two minutes. Cavs lead by 13.
3rd Quarter-3:55: The ‘Cavalanche’ continues. CLE is on a 8-3 run. Including four consecutive points from Jarrett Allen.
3rd Quarter-6:40: Knicks call a timeout as the Cavaliers lead has ballooned to +9. “Knicks need a timeout and the Garden has gone quiet” -Mike Breen.
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3rd Quarter-7:24: Donovan Mitchell gets his 6th steal of the game and converts a driving layup. Mitchell remains the game’s high scorer with 22. The next closest is Jalen Brunson with 14.
3rd Quarter-8:59: Dean Wade and Evan Mobley make consecutive three-point shots. Extending the CLE lead to +4.
3rd Quarter-10:27: Josh Hart takes a hard shot and falls to the floor for the second time in three possessions. Cleveland challenges the call. Official review. Officials ruled no flagrant foul as they opted to charge Karl Anthony Towns with an offensive foul before the contact with Hart. Call overturned, CLE retains their timeout.
3rd Quarter-11:00: OG Anunoby misses a midrange jumper, but the deep rebound goes to Karl Anthony Towns. He misses the three-point shot, but another long rebound gives him a second chance. He pulls it back behind the three-point line and made that shot. That is only New York’s third three after going 2-for-21.
Team Stats
|
CLE |
NYK |
|
|---|---|---|
|
FG |
16-38 |
20-43 |
|
Field Goal % |
42 |
47 |
|
3PT |
8-21 |
2-19 |
|
Three Point % |
38 |
11 |
|
FT |
8-10 |
4-4 |
|
Free Throw % |
80 |
100 |
|
Rebounds |
17 |
18 |
|
Offensive Rebounds |
4 |
2 |
|
Defensive Rebounds |
13 |
16 |
|
Assists |
10 |
11 |
|
Steals |
6 |
6 |
|
Blocks |
2 |
0 |
|
Total Turnovers |
11 |
8 |
|
Points Conceded Off Turnovers |
15 |
9 |
|
Fast Break Points |
8 |
6 |
|
Points in Paint |
14 |
32 |
|
Fouls |
6 |
10 |
|
Technical Fouls |
0 |
0 |
|
Flagrant Fouls |
0 |
0 |
|
Largest Lead |
6 |
11 |
|
Percent Led |
32 |
62 |
The Cleveland Cavaliers lead the New York Knicks 48-46 at halftime
2nd Quarter-1:08: Max Strus makes a 25-foot three point shot off of an Evan Mobley screen. That shot ties the game for first time since 4 minutes left in the first quarter. Mitchell made a 26-foot three-point shot to take the lead just before halftime.
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2nd Quarter-2:01: Donovan Mitchell makes a 25-foot three-point shot. Mitchell was fouled on the play and makes the additional free throw. That puts Mitchell firmly at the top of the scoring for either team and cuts the lead to 1.
2nd Quarter-4:26: James Harden and Sam Merrill hit back-to-back three-point shots (30 and 24 feet respectively). Capping an 8-0 run. Cutting the Knicks lead to +3.
2nd Quarter-6:12: Jalen Brunson makes another driving layup. That score gets Brunson over the double-digit mark in scoring. Extending the Knicks lead to +8.
2nd Quarter-7:56: Jose Alvarado makes an 8-foot driving floater.
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2nd Quarter-8:15: Dean Wade makes a 23-foot three-point shot.
2nd Quarter-9:05: Evan Mobley makes a driving layup.
2nd Quarter-9:52: Karl Anthony Towns makes a 1-foot layup.
2nd Quarter-10:06: Evan Mobley makes a 9-foot two-point shot.
2nd Quarter-10:23: Jose Alvarado makes a 1-foot driving floater.
2nd Quarter-11:17: Donovan Mitchell makes a driving layup
The New York Knicks lead the Cleveland Cavaliers 23-16 after the 1st Quarter
1st Quarter-0:33: Jordan Clarkson makes a 24-foot three-pointer
1st Quarter-0:47: Sam Merrill makes running layup.
1st Quarter-2:44: Mitchell Robinson makes alley oop dunk.
1st Quarter-3:33: Mikal Bridges makes a running dunk.
1st Quarter-3:46: Jalen Brunson makes a 1-foot shot.
1st Quarter-4:18: Mikal Bridges makes a driving layup.
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1st Quarter-5:38: Josh Hart makes a running layup.
1st Quarter-6:01: Jalen Brunson makes a 16-foot pull up jumper.
1st Quarter-8:08: Donovan Mitchell makes a driving layup.
1st Quarter-8:22: Jalen Brunson makes a 9-foot floater.
1st Quarter-8:44: Donovan Mitchell makes a running layup.
1st Quarter-9:24: Donovan Mitchell makes a 25-foot three-point shot.
1st Quarter-10:01: Mikal Bridges makes a 7-foot driving floater.
1st Quarter-11:10: James Harden makes a 6-foot driving floater.
