Final Score: Cleveland Cavaliers lose to New York Knicks 107-98

With no Donovan Mitchell, the Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the New York Knicks 107-98 on Sunday. The loss came despite Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson playing less than a minute due to a left knee injury.

Nightly Notables

Sam Merrill was the leading scorer for Cleveland, scoring 21 points off of the bench, all from three. Isaac Okoro, Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and Darius Garland all finished in double figures as well.

Well...that happened

This was a bad loss for the Cavaliers. There’s no way around that. On top of Brunson’s injury, the Knicks were down three other rotation pieces in OG Aunonoby, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson. Even with no Mitchell, the Cavs should have had more talent.

They, though, just did not play well aside from small spurts or some performances here and there. After coming back from a deficit in the first half, Cleveland led by 1 at the half. They then lost the third quarter by 11 and had to scrap just to get the game close with a few minutes to go.

Some of the small issues that cost Cleveland in last year’s playoffs showed up here too. The Knicks trapped and dared the bigs to make plays. New York was just more physical than Cleveland and played with more urgency and pace from the opening tip. Over and over again, it just felt like the Knicks just wanted it more when it mattered. That’s an uncomfortable way to lose.

Big Picture

Despite the loss, they still have a cushion over the Knicks to remain as the No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the East. The Cavs are still only a half a game behind the Bucks for the No. 2 seed. If Brunson’s injury is serious, that cushion feels even safer.

Still: This is not a loss that reflects on Cleveland well. Mitchell being out doesn’t excuse that. The Cavs’ mistakes and lack of consistent focus cost them over and over again in a big game against a tough opponent that, injuries are not, plays a style that challenges Cleveland.

Up next: The Cavs are at home on Tuesday against the Boston Celtics in another high-profile matchup. Boston has won 11 in a row. Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m.