Pregame Dribbles: Cavaliers at Knicks

October 28, 2024

Random dribbles ahead of the Cavaliers’ road game against the New York Knicks on Monday. …

1. Well, here comes the first test, and what a test it will be. The remade Knicks in Madison Square Garden.

2. I’ll be honest, I don’t expect the Cavaliers to win. They’re 3-0 and while they’re playing well, this is a really tough ask. Beating good teams on the road in the NBA is doable, but you have to play a near-perfect game.

3. That said, if the Cavs play like they have been under coach Kenny Atkinson, they’ll give themselves a chance.

4. As you know, the Knicks added Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges this past offseason, and those two now start alongside Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart.

5. I’m guessing Jarrett Allen will start off on Towns, with Evan Mobley probably on Anunoby. That would leave Dean Wade on Bridges. But again, that’s just a guess. The Cavs definitely have the size advantage in the frontcourt, but the Knicks’ bigs theoretically have more speed and spend a lot of time on the perimeter.

6. Donovan Mitchell is likely to be matched up with Hart, with Darius Garland on Brunson. But as the case often is when you’re on the road, it could come down to how well the benches play.

7. For the Cavs, that will mean getting similar outings from Caris LeVert and Ty Jerome. Sam Merrill, Georges Niang and Isaac Okoro will also need to produce.

8. I’m not saying anything you don’t already know. But the bottom line is the Cavs will have to play their best to move to 4-0.

9. Mitchell grew up in Elmsford, N.Y., about a 45-minute drive from Madison Square Garden. Another connection: Knicks legend and in-game TV analyst Walt Frazier played for the Cavs from 1977-79. I actually had a dream that I went to an NBA Legends luncheon last night. Frazier was there.

10. Yeah, that’s the sort of lame stuff I sometimes dream about. But it sure was cool to me. It will be much cooler for the Cavs if they can get a victory here.

11. The Knicks are 1-1 after getting blasted by the reigning champion Celtics in the opener, then routing the Pacers.