Subscribe
Follow Us
YorkThe Cleveland Cavaliers walked into Madison Square Garden with nothing to prove and everything stacked against them. They were down four rotation players, including All-Star Donovan Mitchell. The Cavs also played just the night before. They arrived in Manhattan late, with sore legs, tired eyes, and a No. 1 seed in the East already secured. The New York Knicks, by contrast, were fully motivated. The Knicks were looking to clinch the third seed and settle a score against a Cleveland team that had tormented them all season.
At first, the Knicks wanted it more. Or so it seemed.
Instead, the Cavs delivered one of the most improbable and most impressive wins of their season. In a 108-102 road victory that saw them erase a 23-point deficit, the Cavs swept the regular season series against New York, and notched their 64th win this season. And when the dust settled, it was Darius Garland standing highest on the Garden hardwood, torch in hand, having authored another chapter in his growing legend.
The undermanned but undeterred Cavs didn't flinch against the Knicks
Cleveland entered the night short-handed, with Ty Jerome, De’Andre Hunter, Sam Merrill, and Mitchell all sidelined. Rookie Jaylon Tyson, rarely used this season, logged over 20 minutes. This could’ve been a scheduled loss — a footnote in a season already written. Instead, it became a statement.
The Cavs started slow, falling behind by 15 after one quarter. The Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson’s 27 points, pushed their lead to 23 midway through the second quarter. Though Cleveland briefly trimmed it to single digits before halftime, they still entered the break trailing by 12, out of rhythm and seemingly out of gas. But champions, or those who aspire to be, never let the scoreboard dictate their effort.
With every possession, the Cavs chipped away at the deficit. Evan Mobley anchored the defense. Jarrett Allen outdueled Mitchell Robinson on the glass, grabbing 13 rebounds to Robinson’s seven, including a crucial one late. Max Strus hit three massive fourth-quarter three-pointers. Isaac Okoro, Cleveland’s defensive firebrand, held Brunson in check down the stretch, forcing difficult shots and contesting every dribble.
Still, it was Garland who took the game, and all of Manhattan, in his hands.
Mr. Fourth Quarter came alive in Madison Square Garden
With the Cavs down in the fourth quarter, Garland erupted. In nine minutes, he scored 13 points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting, including a logo three that sucked the air out of the arena. The Knicks had no answers. If New York blitzed him with double teams, he calmly picked them apart. When the Knicks sagged in drop coverage, Garland punished them with floaters. When he wanted the rim, he got there.
SHIFTY. @dariusgarland22 | #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/B4uJR8N5Vz
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) April 11, 2025
It was surgical and ruthless. It was peak Darius Garland.
This game cemented it if Garland hadn’t already earned the nickname of Mr. Fourth Quarter. His closing brilliance has become a theme of the season. Garland has become an All-Star guard evolving into one of the league’s most feared late-game shotmakers. He should be firmly in the running for the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year, and this performance only added to his case.
Article Continues Below
It’s not the first time Garland has tormented the Knicks. In November, he stunned them with a game-winning performance in the same building. On this night, he gave them a farewell gift before the playoffs. Just one last masterclass to sweep the season series.
Garland finished with 26 points and 13 assists. He paced the Cavs with poise and precision. His fingerprints were on every critical possession in the fourth. He was everything the Cavs needed most to secure the regular-season sweep of the Knicks.
This was more than just a win for the Cavs
For all the focus on the comeback and the heroics, this win meant something deeper.
Last year’s Cavs stumbled to the finish line. They dropped their final game against lowly Charlotte and limped into the playoffs. This year’s version is made of stronger stuff. Even with nothing to play for, they played like a team sharpening their sword. They're maintaining momentum and building habits that matter.
Defensively, they brought it. Multiple forced shot clock violations. Travels forced by swarming pressure. Switches that left the Knicks confused and stagnant. Cleveland’s closing lineup alone showcased exactly why this team can make a deep postseason run.
With one game left before the postseason begins, the Cavs are locked into the top spot. But more importantly, they look locked in.
They didn’t need to win this game. But great teams don’t need motivation. They just need an opportunity.
And when opportunity knocked at Madison Square Garden, Darius Garland and the Cavs kicked the door down.
64 wins. A comeback for the ages. A clutch clinic. And maybe, just maybe, a glimpse at what's to come.
