Knicks roll to a 3-0 Eastern Conference finals lead over the Cavaliers

The New York Knicks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-108 to take a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals, putting the franchise one win from its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. Jalen Brunson scored 30 points, Mikal Bridges added 22 and OG Anunoby finished with 21 in the Game 3 win, according to the Associated Press and NBA.com. New York has now won 10 straight playoff games, extending a postseason run that has turned a 2-0 series edge into a near-clinching position. (apnews.com) (nba.com) The result leaves Cleveland facing a 3-0 deficit against a Knicks team that has controlled the series through three games. CBS Sports said the victory moved New York within one win of its first trip to the NBA Finals in 27 years. In the Western Conference finals, Oklahoma City leads San Antonio 2-1, with Game 4 set for May 24. ### How did New York take control of Game 3? Jalen Brunson’s 30 points led a balanced New York scoring effort that also got 22 points from Bridges and 21 from Anunoby. (apnews.com) The Knicks finished off Cleveland by 13 points and kept the pressure on throughout a game that pushed the Cavaliers to the edge of elimination. NBA.com said New York entered Game 3 already carrying a 2-0 lead and a nine-game playoff winning streak. The Game 3 win pushed that streak to 10, with the Knicks continuing the postseason form that has made them the East’s last unbeaten team in this round. (cbssports.com) ### What does 3-0 mean for the series now? The 3-0 lead means New York can close out the Eastern Conference finals in the next game. CBS Sports said the Knicks are one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, a drought that has framed the stakes of this series. (apnews.com) Cleveland, by contrast, must now win four straight games to take the series. The Cavaliers are still chasing their first win of the conference finals after dropping the opening three games to a Knicks team that has won in different ways, including a 22-point comeback in Game 1, according to CBS Sports. (nba.com) ### How unusual has this Knicks run been? New York’s 10 straight playoff wins underline how decisively it has moved through the bracket. Sporting News said only one of those 10 victories came by single digits, a sign of how consistently the Knicks have separated from opponents during this stretch. (cbssports.com) Game 1 set the tone for the series when the Knicks erased a 22-point deficit and won in overtime, CBS Sports reported before Game 3. (cbssports.com) Since then, New York has added a steadier Game 2 win and then a double-digit road victory in Game 3. ### Where does the other conference finals stand? Oklahoma City leads San Antonio 2-1 in the Western Conference finals after a 123-108 Game 3 win. Sporting News said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 26 points, while NBA.com’s playoff page listed Game 4 for May 24 at 8 p.m. (wavebrowsernews.com) ET. The NBA’s official playoff schedule lists both conference finals as active, with New York-Cleveland in the East and Oklahoma City-San Antonio in the West. (cbssports.com) That leaves the Knicks closest to clinching a Finals berth, while the Thunder and Spurs continue their series on the other side of the bracket. ### What comes next for New York and Cleveland? Game 4 is the next step in the Eastern Conference finals, with New York trying to complete a sweep and Cleveland trying to extend its season. (sportingnews.com) The NBA’s playoff schedule page said the postseason continues with conference finals matchups still being updated as games are completed. May 24 also brings Game 4 of Thunder-Spurs in the West, with Oklahoma City holding a 2-1 lead. The next Knicks-Cavaliers game will decide whether New York advances to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 or whether Cleveland forces the series back to a fifth game. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2)