Knicks tie NBA Playoff history with 121-108 Game 3 win over Cavs

The New York Knicks moved one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999 after defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-108 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday night. The win gave New York a 3-0 series lead, a position no NBA team has ever failed to convert into a series win, as teams holding that advantage are now 163-0 all-time in seven-game playoff series.

The Knicks also tied NBA playoff history with their 10th consecutive postseason victory. Only the 2017 Golden State Warriors, 1999 San Antonio Spurs, 2001 and 1989 Los Angeles Lakers, have produced longer playoff winning streaks. New York became just the seventh team in league history to win at least 10 straight postseason games, matching the 2024 Boston Celtics, who also won 10 in a row during their championship run.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 30 points and six assists, while Mikal Bridges contributed 22 points and OG Anunoby scored 21. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 13 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, narrowly missing a triple-double. Landry Shamet scored 14 points off the bench, including three fourth-quarter 3-pointers in a 99-second stretch that extended New York’s lead to 105-94.

The Knicks shot 43-for-77 from the field, 11-for-28 from 3-point range, and 24-for-27 from the foul line. Four of the five starters shot better than 50 percent from the floor as the Knicks continued one of the most efficient offensive playoff runs in NBA history. Entering Saturday, they already led all playoff teams in field goal percentage, 2-point percentage, and 3-point percentage, numbers that improved again after Game 3.

New York controlled the game from the opening minutes, starting on a 9-1 run and finishing the first quarter ahead 37-27 after making 12 of 17 shots. Cleveland tied the game at 50 in the second quarter before the Knicks answered with a 10-1 run to take a 60-54 halftime lead. Brunson later scored six points during an 8-1 third-quarter run that pushed the advantage to 83-70.

Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points for the Cavaliers, while Evan Mobley added 24 and James Harden contributed 21. Cleveland went cold again from deep, shooting 12-for-41 from beyond the arc and falling to 30 percent from 3-point range in the series. The Cavaliers, now 8-9 this postseason, managed only four fast-break points in Game 3 and faces elimination in Game 4 on Monday night at Rocket Arena.

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