NEW YORK, NY — The New York Knicks opened a new chapter under head coach Mike Brown with a 119–111 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
OG Anunoby powered the Knicks with 24 points and 14 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson added 23 points in the win. Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds, helping New York overcome a rollercoaster performance that saw them build a 17-point first-half lead, surrender it to a Cleveland surge, and then reclaim control with a decisive 14–0 run early in the fourth quarter.
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 31 points, including 21 in a dominant third quarter that briefly put Cleveland ahead. Evan Mobley added 22 points and eight rebounds, but the Cavs couldn’t maintain their momentum down the stretch. The loss comes after a dominant 64–18 campaign last season in which Cleveland opened with 15 straight wins and finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Both teams entered the matchup short-handed. The Knicks were missing center Mitchell Robinson (left ankle injury management) and forward Josh Hart (lower back spasms). Cleveland was without All-Star guard Darius Garland and swingman Max Strus, both recovering from offseason foot surgeries. Forward De’Andre Hunter, who led all bench scorers in the league last season with 16.9 points per game, also sat out due to a bruised right knee.
Brown’s debut came after the Knicks made the surprising decision to part ways with Tom Thibodeau despite the team’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season — their first appearance there since 2000.
New York came out strong, led by Mikal Bridges, who went a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and scored 10 first-quarter points to give the Knicks a 33–23 lead. A 10–0 burst late in the second quarter extended the margin to 63–46, before Mitchell’s late first-half push set the stage for his explosive third quarter.
Ultimately, though, the Knicks’ balanced attack and renewed defensive energy sealed the win in their season opener.
Up Next:
Cavaliers: Visit the Brooklyn Nets on Friday.
Knicks: Host the Boston Celtics on Friday.
