Knicks move to 3-0 with 121-108 Game 3 win over Cavaliers

The New York Knicks are one win from the NBA Finals after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-108 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on May 23. Jalen Brunson scored 30 points and Mikal Bridges added 22 as New York moved ahead 3-0 in the best-of-seven series. The result also pushed the Knicks’ playoff winning streak to 10 games, according to Associated Press and NBA.com reports. (apnews.com) The win put New York within one victory of its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, according to AP. (nba.com) Cleveland now returns to the floor facing elimination in Game 4. ### How did New York take control of Game 3? Jalen Brunson’s 30 points set the tone for a Knicks team that led a wire-to-wire win in Cleveland, according to Cleveland.com’s game report. Mikal Bridges finished with 22 points, and New York closed with a 121-point total after shooting 42-for-84 from the field, NBA box score data showed. (apnews.com) The Knicks finished with 12 made 3-pointers and 22 assists, while Cleveland scored 108 points on 42-for-84 shooting but went 12-for-19 from the free-throw line, the NBA box score showed. (apnews.com) ### What did the Cavaliers get from their top players? Evan Mobley scored 24 points for Cleveland, and Donovan Mitchell added 23, according to NBA.com and local Cleveland reports. The Cavaliers still fell to 0-3 in the series and to 2-15 against New York in playoff games, WKYC reported. (cleveland.com) Rocket Arena hosted the game Saturday night, but Cleveland could not cut meaningfully into the deficit after New York established control, Cleveland.com reported. (nba.com) ### Why is the 10-game streak getting attention? The Knicks’ 10 straight playoff wins are the longest postseason winning streak in franchise history, according to the AP briefing cited in upstream reporting. The run has carried New York from earlier rounds into a 3-0 conference finals lead. (nba.com) AP said the Knicks are now one win away from the Finals, a stage the franchise last reached in 1999. That date has become the benchmark attached to this postseason run in multiple reports. (cleveland.com) ### What does the series schedule look like now? Game 4 is scheduled for May 25 at Madison Square Garden in New York, according to the NBA schedule. If necessary, the series would continue with Game 5 in Cleveland and Game 6 back in New York before a Game 7 on May 31, league schedule listings showed. (apnews.com) The Knicks will enter that game needing one more win to close out the Cavaliers and claim the Eastern Conference title. Cleveland will need four straight victories to extend its season and reverse the 3-0 deficit. (apnews.com) (nba.com)