New York Knicks fifth straight road win

The New York Knicks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 121-108 on Saturday to take a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals, putting themselves one win from their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. NBA records showed the victory was New York’s fifth straight playoff road win by more than 10 points, a run the league said had previously been achieved only by the 2013 Miami Heat and 2017 Golden State Warriors. New York led throughout Game 3 at Rocket Arena, opening 9-1 in the first two minutes and finishing the first quarter ahead 37-27. The Knicks shot 55.8% from the field, made 11 3-pointers and went 24-for-27 from the foul line, while Cleveland shot 12-for-41 from deep. The result also extended the Knicks’ overall winning streak to 10 games, according to NBA.com’s live coverage and nightly recap. (nba.com) ### How unusual is this road run? NBA records cited after Saturday’s game placed the Knicks alongside two recent champions-level playoff runs: the 2013 Heat and the 2017 Warriors. The league said New York became the third team in playoff history to win five straight road games by more than 10 points. (nba.com) The margin has not been narrow. NBA.com said all but one of New York’s wins in that stretch have come by double digits, with an average margin of 22.5 points. (nba.com) ### Who drove the Game 3 win? Jalen Brunson scored 30 points, according to NBA.com’s nightly recap, as New York moved within one win of the Finals. OG Anunoby added 21 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. (nba.com) Karl-Anthony Towns told NBA.com after the game, “We’ve just have to keep our mind on the task at hand.” He added that New York had to “execute at a high level in Game 4.” (nba.com) For Cleveland, Evan Mobley scored 24 points, Donovan Mitchell had 23 and James Harden added 19, but the Cavaliers could not erase an early deficit. ### What does 3-0 mean for the series right now? (nba.com) The Knicks hold a 3-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals, according to the NBA playoff bracket and series page. Saturday’s win left Cleveland needing four straight victories to advance. (nba.com) NBA.com’s recap described New York as one win away from reaching the Finals for the first time since 1999. The league’s playoff hub lists the Knicks-Cavaliers matchup as the East finals, with New York leading the series 3-0. (nba.com) ### When is the next game? Game 4 is scheduled for Monday, May 25, in Cleveland, according to the NBA’s official playoff schedule and live game coverage. (nba.com) The Cavaliers’ team schedule page also lists the next home game in the series before a potential Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on May 27. The NBA playoff bracket lists Monday’s game as an ESPN telecast, with New York carrying the 3-0 edge into Cleveland. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) (nba.com 3)