The Cleveland Cavaliers just suffered one of the most unfathomable collapses in pro sports history. The New York Knicks came from 22 points down in the fourth quarter to defeat Cleveland in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. It may have been one of the ugliest losses of all time, and perhaps we could even take that "pro" word from the equation.
However, despite the inexcusable blunder, there were some positives. They dominated the tempo of the game for 41 minutes, Donovan Mitchell looked like himself until overtime, and everybody was making shots.
Moreover, they found a way to make Karl-Anthony Towns a non-factor, forcing Jalen Brunson to hero-ball his way to a 22-point comeback. It didn't work for the Cavs, but it showed that Towns is the Knicks' Achilles heel and how Cleveland can get him off the court.
The Cavs need to attack Karl-Anthony Towns
Towns struggled mightily for most of the game. He had played roughly 25 minutes and hadn't even cracked double-figures late in the third quarter, with the Knicks turning to Mitchell Robinson to get some stops.
Evan Mobley did an outstanding job of messing with his rhythm, chasing him to the perimeter, making him pay for every drive and shot, and even rejecting him at the rim. Jarrett Allen also played his part, showing an uncharacteristic physicality when they matched up.
Towns isn't a good defender. He tends to get into foul trouble, and he lets his frustrations get the best of him. Referees allow way more contact in the playoffs, and he always gets rattled when he doesn't get any calls or has to take contact. Like clockwork, all of that happened yesterday when the Cavs built a 20+ point lead.
He's the Knicks' second-best scorer, and his ability to stretch the floor and knock down shots from all three levels is second to none among modern bigs. As such, getting him off the court, like they did yesterday, is probably the smartest and wisest bet they can make.
Robinson can't make a free throw to save his life, and he's an offensive non-factor, though he improves their interior defense. Still, the Cavs must pick their poison. Brunson can't do it all by himself -- unless Kenny Atkinson leaves James Harden on him during a 20-1 run.
This loss was heartbreaking. It was a morale killer and just dreadful for the momentum. That said, a loss is a loss, regardless of the final score or the context. It still takes three more games for the Cleveland Cavaliers to be eliminated. It is time to bounce back and win this series.
Add us as a preferred source on Google