Knicks Sweep Cavaliers To Reach First NBA Finals Since 1999

Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds while OG Anunoby added 17 points.

The Knicks also got major production from:

• Landry Shamet — 16 points off the bench
• Mikal Bridges — 15 points
• Jalen Brunson — 15 points and series MVP honors

Brunson averaged 25.5 points and 7.8 assists throughout the series and was later awarded Eastern Conference Finals MVP. “I feel like the word ‘hope’ has been gone from the New York Knicks name for a long time,” Towns said afterward. “For me to be part of this team that revives hope is something special.”

Knicks Fans Take Over Cleveland

By the fourth quarter, the game had turned into a celebration for traveling Knicks fans inside Cleveland’s arena. New York supporters loudly chanted “Knicks in four!” as head coach Mike Brown emptied his bench with nearly eight minutes remaining and the Knicks leading by 35 points.

Celebrity Knicks fans also made the trip, including:

• Spike Lee
• Tracy Morgan
• Timothée Chalamet
• Kylie Jenner

The Knicks dominated nearly every statistical category:

• 32-5 advantage in second-chance points
• 33-9 edge in fast-break points
• Largest lead reached 45 points

Mike Brown Reaches Finals In First Season

The Finals run marks a remarkable first season for Mike Brown in New York. Brown became just the 15th coach since the NBA-ABA merger to reach the NBA Finals in his first year with a franchise after replacing Tom Thibodeau last offseason.

It also marks Brown’s first Finals appearance since coaching Cleveland in 2007. After the game, Knicks legends Walt Frazier and Patrick Ewing presented the Bob Cousy Trophy on the court.

Cavaliers Overwhelmed By Knicks Surge

Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points for Cleveland, but the Cavaliers never recovered after New York ripped off a devastating 20-0 run in the first half. Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson gave credit to New York afterward. “They’re playing better basketball,” Atkinson said. “You’ve got to give them credit. They’re on a heater.”

Meanwhile, James Harden expressed frustration with Cleveland’s missed opportunities throughout the series. “Yes, it was 4-0, but we didn’t give ourselves a chance,” Harden said. “Genuinely, I think we are the better team, but series wise we didn’t show it.”

The Knicks now await the winner of the Western Conference finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. That series is tied 2-2 heading into Game 5. New York is now just four wins away from its first NBA championship since 1973.