Knicks tear apart Cavaliers, return to NBA Finals 27 years later

The New York Knicks will return to the NBA Finals 27 years later after once again executing a full slate of victories, this time against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. A series that concludes with an overall score of 4-0.

The last NBA Finals they played was in the 1998-1999 season, being defeated by the San Antonio Spurs.

In the final matchup of the playoffs, the Knicks were a very convincing 93-130 winner over the Cavaliers at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. New York has 12 wins and two losses in these NBA Playoffs.

"We have a bigger goal"

They had only one step left and they delivered. Aware that victory would return them to an NBA Finals nearly three decades later, the Knicks entered the court strong and gave the Cavaliers, who trailed on the scoreboard all 48 minutes of the game, no room to maneuver. New York started sweeping in the first quarter and, as the clock ticked down, was increasing the distance on the scoreboard, scoring more points than Cleveland in each of the halves.

With a Jalen Brunson who was less dominant than in other games (15 points)—although he was named MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals—Karl-Anthony Towns stepped into the spotlight. The Dominican-American center was the standout performer in Game 4, dominating in the paint for the New York Knicks and posting a double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds.

"We knew our team was capable of pulling this off," Towns said after the duel. "All we had to do was work hard and keep believing in each other. That's what we did, and that's why we're here."

KAT—as Towns is known—was well assisted by OG Anuoby (17 points) and Mikal Bridges (15 points). Also by Landry Shamet (16 points), a sixth man who was instrumental in helping the Knicks fight for a Larry O'Brien Trophy—they have two on their roster—that they haven't won since the 1972-1973 season.

"We're going to enjoy it for a day or two, but we have a bigger goal here and we have to start focusing as much as possible," Shamet said. "We have four more wins to go, and we know it's going to be even tougher."

On the Cavs' side, the resistance carried out by Donovan Mitchell (31 points)—top scorer of Game 4—was not enough. Gray night for James Harden (12 points) and Evan Mobley (15 points).

The Knicks will have several days off before the NBA Finals get underway, where they will face either the Spurs or the reigning champions of the best basketball league in the world, the Oklahoma City Thunder.