4 key takeaways from Cavaliers embarrassing loss to Knicks in Game 3
No. 4: Brunson was the best guard on the floor
On Friday, JB had his most efficient night of the series, and bounced back after a forgettable Game 2, dropping 21 points on 55% shooting without any going in from behind the arc (0-of-4). Aside from some difficulty LeVert showed when matched up, Brunson beat defenders off the dribble and got down the court for a fastbreak jam.
In the third quarter, he cooked LeVert by getting to the elbow to fire away, then DG and Spida with a turnaround bucket from midrange and a floater over Okoro in the paint.
Brunson even dissected the Cavaliers’ defense with six assists, two coming in the fourth quarter. He was respected so much in pick-and-roll that three backline defenders gave up the baseline when JB beat LeVert into the lane. Hartenstein received the bounce pass for the slam. On his last dime, Cleveland was in a 2-3 zone with three defenders around Brunson. He then found Toppin in the weak side corner for a banger to extend New York’s lead to 18 points.
Final words…
With Game 4 on Sunday in New York, it has become a must-win affair for the Cavaliers. Going down 3-1 is not a death sentence, but it might as well may be for a young outfit without much experience.
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With the Cavaliers’ back against the spikes, we’ll learn Sunday what this team is really made of.