What a match, and what a series to come! Expected because particularly indecisive, this confrontation between Riders And Knicks in these playoffs 2023 has indeed offered a first round brilliant that kept all its promises.
Namely a very intense match physically, stifling for the attack and rough for the defense (42% on shots for new York43% for Cleveland). A duel worthy of the finest hours of the Eastern Conference in the 90’s, in short, at the end of which the teammates of a super Jalen Brunson (27 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals) emerged victorious at the end of the effort in the “money-time”.
Two oh so decisive baskets from the leader, followed by a saving offensive rebound from the ghost Julius Randle (19 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals), particularly made the difference and sealed the result.
A result that is also difficult to consider as an “upset” as the two formations seem close in the level of play. This Game 1, as a whole, was in any case more mastered by the troop from New York, very solid in defense against an attack from the Cleveland squad that fell too quickly (without ever coming out) in the “Mitchell-dependency”, the All-Star rear scoring alone 38 of his 97 points…
In any case, the two teams have broken the ice in this series, the sequel of which promises to be epic, and the scene is now set: New York has already regained the advantage of the field, and has made it clear to Cleveland that each match will be trench warfare. The battle has only begun…
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Reassuring return from Julius Randle. He hadn’t played for almost 20 days and was still “uncertain” on the morning of the match. Well present in the in-between, the Knicks All-Star strong winger therefore reassured the whole “Big Apple”: his best feelings are back. Very rhythmic in the first half, he left the reins in attack to Jalen Brunson on his return from the locker room to focus on the shadow tasks and ultimately offer a good “all-around” match: 19 points, 10 rebounds, including this extremely important and decisive offensive rebound with ten seconds remaining, 4 assists and 2 interceptions. An axis of progression, in his quest for his optimal level: to purify a little more his decision-making (5 ball losses), and to take fewer unnecessary risks in defense (4 faults). But overall, this Game 1 by Julius Randle was certainly a good omen for the rest of the New Yorkers’ series.
– Jalen Brunson, boss. Discreet in the first period because embarrassed by mistakes, the New York leader was then omnipresent in the attack of his team: 12 points in the third quarter, then 9 points in the last act, including the two decisive baskets which secured victory. In total, 27 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals for the indisputable finisher of the Knicks in hot moments, which reminds us that he is a regular in the playoffs. It is not Donovan Mitchell who will say the opposite, the rear of Cleveland certainly remembering the good memories of the dantesque first round of “JB” last year during the confrontation between Dallas and Utah (27.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.2 pass)…
– The Cavaliers have a job in attack. We knew, from what we learned during the regular season, that attack was not necessarily the Cavaliers’ priority given that their system of play is based above all on a huge defense in their half of the field (the best of the league), then a slow return of the ball (the 30th “pace” of the league). Problem in this Game 1 for the locals: the Knicks also defended their half of the field particularly well, making the offensive phases of the Cleveland players quite easy to defend. The “boxscore” also corroborates the visual observation well: the two best soloists of the team, Darius Garland (17 points) and especially Donovan Mitchell (38 points), compiled 55 of the 97 points of the Cavaliers… It was not only one match, but it is to be corrected very quickly from the next one for the men of JB Bickerstaff, because the “backcourt” will not be able to win alone, against a defense capable of being very solid and suffocating.
TOPS & FLOPS
✅ Josh Hart. Nearly six years after his arrival in the league, the Knicks winger was playing tonight… his very first game in the playoffs. And it is an understatement to say that he succeeded: 17 points (8/11) and 10 rebounds! In addition to his usual enormous burst of energy in all areas of the game, at all times, the former Villanova also distinguished himself with a huge award-winning shot full of composure less than two minutes from the end, while the Cavaliers had reversed the “momentum” to take the lead for the first time since the first quarter. Every game Josh Hart plays makes his acquisition at the trade deadline last February even brighter from the Knicks. Quite simply, the ultimate “winner”.
⛔️ RJ Barrett. Even if he was certainly valuable in defense, in the first half, the Canadian winger does not concretely have much positive to remember from his Game 1. Completely out of order with his shot (2/12), he was more often a dead weight in attack than a useful offensive link in the chain. Nothing alarming because it was only one match, but we have to do better in the next outing, because otherwise Josh Hart, highly more “valuable” this night, will steal minutes from him.
✅ Donovan Mitchell. Fantastic but lonely: this is the description of Donovan Mitchell’s Game 1. The only player on pace (and confident?) on the Cleveland side, he carried the attack throughout the match, with his sharp attacks from the circle and his repetitive but (too) essential isolations in the Cavaliers’ sleeping attack. In the last act, he notably scored 14 of his 38 points (14/30), leaving all his forces in the battle, in vain. In a team clearly not yet quite settled on the offensive plan, “Spida” is already in top form. His duel with Jalen Brunson was, and will continue to be, particularly delicious for the eyes, especially in the “money-time”.
⛔️ Again and again the Cavaliers bench. It was a problem all year, and it was even more than that tonight: a real pain in the ass. With only 14 points from the bench, the Cleveland club was effectively trampled in this battle by the New York bench, which brought 37 points thanks in particular to the valuable contributions of Josh Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein and Obi Toppin. In fact, the Cavaliers, unlike their opponents, simply do not have at their disposal when leaving the bench these sparks capable of taking over from the incumbents, or even sometimes doing better. Not reassuring.
THE FOLLOWING
– Game 2: still in Cleveland, on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday (1:30 a.m.).
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D= defensive rebound; T = Total Bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
