Knicks push Cavaliers to brink with 121-108 Game 3 win, take 3-0 series lead
- New York beat Cleveland 121-108 on May 24 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, moving the Knicks within one win of the NBA Finals. - Jalen Brunson scored 30 points, Mikal Bridges had 22 and OG Anunoby added 21 as New York won its 10th straight playoff game. - Game 4 is Monday, May 25, in Cleveland at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, with New York seeking a sweep.
Jalen Brunson scored 30 points on Saturday night as the New York Knicks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-108 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals and took a 3-0 series lead. Mikal Bridges added 22 points and OG Anunoby scored 21 as New York led throughout and moved within one win of its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. The NBA’s official playoff site lists the Knicks ahead 3-0, with Game 4 set for Monday night in Cleveland. ESPN and NBA.com list the 2026 NBA Finals as beginning June 3 on ABC. ### How complete was New York’s control in Game 3? New York led 37-27 after the first quarter and never trailed, according to the Associated Press match report carried by CBS New York. Cleveland tied the game at 50-50 in the second quarter, but the Knicks answered with a 10-1 run and took a 60-54 lead into halftime. (cbsnews.com) The Knicks shot 43-for-77 from the field, or 56%, and made 24 of 27 free throws. Sporting News’ live recap said New York led for 96% of the game and built a lead as large as 17 points, while also holding a 17-4 edge in fast-break points. ### Which Knicks set the tone beyond Brunson? (cbsnews.com) Mikal Bridges scored 22 points and OG Anunoby added 21, giving New York three 20-point scorers in the game. Landry Shamet also delivered a key fourth-quarter stretch, making three 3-pointers in 99 seconds to push the lead to 105-94 and help put the game out of reach, CBS New York reported. (cbsnews.com) The NBA’s playoff page described the result as New York’s 10th straight playoff victory. CBS New York said the Knicks became the seventh team in NBA history to win at least 10 straight during a postseason run. ### What went wrong for Cleveland? Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points and James Harden had 21 for Cleveland, but the Cavaliers shot 12-for-41 from 3-point range and 12-for-19 from the foul line, according to CBS New York. (cbsnews.com) Sporting News also listed Cleveland with 17 turnovers, compared with 14 for New York. (nba.com) Cleveland’s offense has slipped as the series has gone on. NBA.com’s schedule page shows the Cavaliers have lost the first three games by 11 points in overtime, 16 points and 13 points, leaving them one defeat from elimination. ### How close are the Knicks to ending a long Finals drought? The Knicks are one win away from their first NBA Finals trip since 1999, CBS New York reported. (cbsnews.com) Sporting News said the win also gave New York its second 3-0 series lead of the same postseason, the first time in franchise history it has done that in multiple series in one playoff run. (nba.com) The broader playoff bracket shows New York as the No. 3 seed in the East, after earlier series wins over Atlanta and Philadelphia. Cleveland reached the conference finals after defeating Toronto in the first round and Detroit in seven games in the conference semifinals, according to NBA.com and ESPN. ### When is the closeout chance? (cbsnews.com) Game 4 is scheduled for Monday, May 25, at 8 p.m. ET in Cleveland, according to NBA.com’s official playoff schedule. If necessary, Game 5 would be Wednesday, May 27, in New York, and the NBA Finals are scheduled to open on June 3. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2)
