Knicks host Cavaliers Game 1 Tuesday

The NBA set Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals for Tuesday, with the New York Knicks hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers at 8 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden. The league’s official playoff schedule lists ESPN as the broadcaster for the opener and for every game in the best-of-seven series. New York reached the round after a four-game sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers, while Cleveland advanced Sunday by closing out the Detroit Pistons in seven games. The winner will move on to the NBA Finals, which the league has scheduled to begin June 3 on ABC. ### When and where is Game 1? Tuesday, May 19, is the date on the NBA’s playoff schedule for Cavaliers-Knicks Game 1, and the listed tip time is 8 p.m. ET. NBA.com’s Eastern Conference finals page shows the game in New York, with the Knicks holding home-court position for the opener. ESPN’s playoff schedule also lists the game in that slot. (nba.com) Madison Square Garden is the site because New York opens the series at home. The NBA bracket page shows the matchup as No. 3 Knicks versus No. 4 Cavaliers, with the first two games in New York before the series shifts to Cleveland for Games 3 and 4. ### How did New York get here so quickly? New York completed a 4-0 series win over Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference semifinals. (nba.com) NBA.com’s series page shows the Knicks winning Game 1, 137-98, then taking the next three games to finish the sweep. A separate NBA.com roundup said the Knicks advanced to a second straight Eastern Conference finals. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns have been central to New York’s run, and the league’s East finals page lists Brunson as the Knicks’ leading scorer in the playoffs at 27.4 points per game entering the series. The same page lists New York averaging 120.4 points in the postseason sample shown there. ### What did Cleveland have to survive to reach New York? (nba.com) Cleveland needed seven games to get past Detroit. The NBA’s playoff schedule page shows the Cavaliers losing the first two games of that semifinal, then winning Games 3, 4 and 5, dropping Game 6 and taking Game 7 to win the series 4-3. Sunday’s result sent Cleveland into the conference finals on short rest. (nba.com) NBA.com’s playoff hub said the Cavaliers won Game 7 “wire-to-wire” and were headed to New York for the East finals. The league’s East finals page lists Donovan Mitchell as Cleveland’s leading scorer entering the matchup at 25.6 points per game. ### What does the full series schedule look like? (nba.com) Thursday, May 21, is the date for Game 2 in New York, with another 8 p.m. ET start on ESPN, according to the NBA schedule. The series then moves to Cleveland for Game 3 on Saturday, May 23, and Game 4 on Monday, May 25, both also scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. Games 5 through 7 are set only if necessary. (nba.com) The NBA lists Game 5 for May 27 in New York, Game 6 for May 29 in Cleveland and Game 7 for May 31 back in New York, all at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. ### Where does this series lead next? June 3 is the scheduled start of the 2026 NBA Finals, according to the league’s official playoff calendar. (nba.com) ABC is the exclusive broadcaster for that series, with Game 1 set for 8:30 p.m. ET. The Eastern Conference champion from Knicks-Cavaliers will face the Western Conference champion, with Oklahoma City and San Antonio opening the West finals on Monday night.