Knicks push Cavaliers to brink with 3-0 Eastern Conference series lead

Jalen Brunson gave New York 30 points on Saturday night, and the Knicks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-108 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. The victory put New York ahead 3-0 in the series and extended the Knicks’ playoff winning streak to 10 games. Mikal Bridges added 22 points and OG Anunoby scored 21 as New York never trailed in Cleveland. Donovan Mitchell scored 23 points, and Evan Mobley added 24 for the Cavaliers, who are now one loss from elimination. ### How did New York take control so early? New York opened with the sharper offense and kept it through most of the night. The Knicks shot 55.8% from the field, according to the Game 3 box score, and made 11 of 28 attempts from 3-point range. Cleveland shot 50.0% overall, but the Cavaliers went 12-for-41 from beyond the arc and 12-for-19 at the free-throw line. The Knicks also made their edge count at the line, going 24-for-27. ### What did Brunson do in the game that mattered most? Brunson finished with 30 points and six assists, giving New York its clearest late-game scorer again. NBC Sports said he got those 30 points on 19 shots, and the Knicks kept turning to him when Cleveland threatened to cut deeper into the lead. Bridges backed him with 22 points, and Anunoby supplied 21 more. Yahoo Sports’ box-score report said Brunson’s scoring led the win that pushed New York to a 10th straight playoff victory. ### Why is 3-0 such a problem for Cleveland? Cleveland fell into a 3-0 hole with the loss, and no team can afford much margin from that position in a conference finals. The Cavaliers got 47 combined points from Mitchell and Mobley, but that was not enough to slow a New York team that has won each game of the series by double digits. The Knicks entered Game 3 already carrying a nine-game playoff winning streak, NBA.com said before the game, and they left Cleveland with that run extended to 10. The result also moved New York within one win of its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, according to Associated Press coverage carried by CBS New York and other outlets. ### Where did Cleveland’s resistance come from? Mitchell scored 23 points and Mobley had 24, giving the Cavaliers their most productive pairing of the night. Cleveland also got 21 points from James Harden, according to Associated Press and game recaps published after the final. Rocket Arena gave the Cavaliers their first home game of the series, but New York kept control by avoiding the long scoring droughts that usually let a trailing team back in. The Knicks finished with 19 points off 17 Cleveland turnovers, matching the Cavaliers’ total in that category. ### What happens next in the series? Game 4 is set for Monday night in Cleveland. The Knicks can clinch the Eastern Conference title there and complete a sweep of the series. Cleveland will need a win on May 25, 2026, to send the matchup back to New York for Game 5. New York, meanwhile, is one victory from ending the series and advancing to the NBA Finals.