Knicks, Cavaliers set for Eastern Conference finals showdown

Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen turned Game 7 into a blowout, and now Cleveland has the Knicks in the Eastern Conference finals with home-court pressure hanging over Madison Square Garden.

The Cavaliers ended Detroit’s run 125-94 on May 17 to win the series 4-3 and reach the East finals, riding Mitchell’s 26 points, seven rebounds and eight assists and Allen’s 23 points and seven rebounds. That result set up a No. 3 seed Knicks team against a No. 4 seed Cavaliers club that finished the regular season just one game apart, New York at 53-29 and Cleveland at 52-30.

Game 1 is scheduled for Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden, with Games 2, 5 and 7, if needed, in New York and Games 3, 4 and 6, if needed, in Cleveland. The Knicks earned the higher seed and the home-court edge, but the matchup also carries a clear stylistic test: whether New York can force Cleveland into longer half-court possessions and whether Cleveland can push the Knicks out of the pace they prefer.

The lone regular-season meeting offered a tight early read. New York beat Cleveland 119-111 on Oct. 22, 2025, in Mike Brown’s first game as Knicks coach. OG Anunoby scored 24 points that night, Jalen Brunson added 23, and the Knicks showed the kind of balance that has carried them into this round. Anunoby’s full participation in practice on May 15 after a hamstring issue adds another important layer for New York’s defense, especially if Brown needs him on Mitchell or another high-usage Cleveland creator.

Mitchell enters the series averaging 25.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists through 13 playoff games, and Cleveland’s postseason path has been built on survival as much as dominance. The Cavaliers needed seven games to get past Toronto in the first round and seven more to eliminate Detroit, a run that has already tested their depth and their late-game shot-making.

For New York, Karl-Anthony Towns remains a central offensive force, while Brunson and Anunoby give the Knicks multiple answers if the series becomes a grind. For Cleveland, Mitchell has already shown he can carry the scoring burden, and Allen’s Game 7 production underscored how much the Cavaliers can lean on size at both ends. The winner is likely to be the team that controls the tempo first and makes the other play on its weakest terms.