Dribbles: Cavs Rock, Roll And Rout Knicks In Total Team Rise

February 21, 2025

CLEVELAND — Random dribbles from the Cavaliers’ 142-105 blowout home win over the New York Knicks on Friday …

1. If this is how things are gonna go in Rocket Arena, hey, the name change is a smashing success.

2. In what was expected to be a matchup of Eastern Conference beasts … well, the Cavaliers had their way. And that’s put it mildly.

3. Cleveland has had a couple nights this season where nothing went its way. This one was the polar opposite of that. Because of the Cavs’ utter dominance, the entire second half felt like little more than a scrimmage. Or maybe a run of five-on-five at the playground.

4. So much for the advertised “playoff feel.”

5. But no matter what you call it, this was undoubtedly one of the Cavs’ most complete performances of the season. They built a 33-point lead before the fourth quarter ever even started — resulting in a final 12 minutes of garbage time.

6. Donovan Mitchell was incredibly electric with 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-7 on 3-pointers. The man just had it going on. And he didn’t even play in the fourth.

7. Mitchell scored 17 of those points in the second quarter as the Cavs (46-10) built a 77-50 halftime lead. “We always talk about everyone else, but he was the guy who delivered the knockout punch,” said Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson. “I felt like he had a little more oomph tonight, a little more juice.”

8. Evan Mobley added 21 points on 9-of-11 from the field, along with eight rebounds. After that, take your pick. Everyone was fantastic. Ty Jerome scored 19, De’Andre Hunter recorded 16, Craig Porter Jr. had 13 and Jarrett Allen 10.

9. The only person who struggled was Darius Garland (nine points, 2-of-12 shooting), but in his defense, he took pretty good consecutive shots to the face/head area. Despite the fact he looked like a woozy boxer, he insisted on staying in the game.

10. Atkinson on Garland: “He’s just a tough dude. I thought for sure he’d be out (of the game). I tried to take him out. He wanted to stay in.”

11. Allen, however, did not stay in after suffering an injured right hand. Atkinson said he thought it happened on a dunk attempt. Allen suggested it was going up for a block. Either way, X-rays were negative. Allen will have a follow-up MRI on Saturday.

12. Of course, when I walked over to speak to Allen directly in the postgame locker room, Mitchell stepped in. “He’s fine,” Mitchell said. “He’s a-OK. Fine, fine. He’ll be ready for Sunday, or whenever we play again.”

13. For the record, that would be Sunday, at home, against the Memphis Grizzlies. Allen has appeared in all 56 games.

14. That’s not all that emerged from the locker room. At one point, Tristan Thompson walked past Hunter and pointed at him as Hunter spoke with reporters. “Baby Kawhi right here,” Thompson said, pointing and referring to LA Clippers two-way star Kawhi Leonard.

15. As for the game, the Cavs’ biggest lead was 42 points. Again, it was Blowout City. Yet at one point, Mitchell headfirst into the stands in chase of an errant Knicks pass. The outcome had been decided, but Mitchell went for it anyway. “Fake hustle,” Hunter joked, getting a laugh from the locker room.

16. So everything went well for the Cavs. Couldn’t have gone better. They still have to face the Knicks (37-19) twice more.

17. Anyway, Saturday is my birthday, so I’m going to wrap it up. My favorite gift so far is a t-shirt depicting a young Austin Carr. I showed AC. He offered to sign it. I didn’t even have to ask. (Pictured below.)

18. I share a birthday with Julius Erving, one of the greatest ever. I told Carr that Erving is also among my favorites of all time. I said nothing about AC being among my favorites. He was before my time. He signed my shirt anyway.

19. On that note, it’s time for cake or something. The list of NBA birthdays on Feb. 22 also includes the likes of Rajon Rondo, Adam Keefe, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Lee Nailon and long-ago Cavs center Chris Dudley.

20. As for the Cavaliers, this has been like a season-long birthday celebration, with perhaps their best game being the most recent. Only 26 more to go.