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The New York Knicks made a strong statement in their playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, securing a commanding 99-79 victory at Madison Square Garden on Friday night. This victory puts the Knicks ahead 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, with only four wins necessary to advance to the second round.
Dominant Defensive Performance
In a truly dominant performance, the Knicks managed to keep the Cavaliers below 80 points for the first time this season. All-Star Julius Randle commented on the energy of the game, saying, "It was what I expected for sure.
A lot of, lot of energy and we were able to feed off it, so I love it." On the other side, the Cavaliers struggled with their most ineffective offensive performance of the season, with Donovan Mitchell leading the team with 22 points.
Mitchell acknowledged the difficulties faced by the Cavaliers, saying, "Not being able to make shots definitely hurts as well, but it's one of those things where we'll be good. Like, kind of breathe and relax and calm down."
Nuggets Punch Their Way to the Second Round
The Denver Nuggets are one win away from advancing to the second round, following a 120-111 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
The top-seeded team in the Western Conference now leads the series 3-0. Two-time league MVP Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double with 20 points, 12 assists, and 11 rebounds, and the Nuggets' aggressive approach to the game was a key factor in their success.
Jokic said, "We didn't want to give them life. We wanted to be the aggressor. We wanted to punch them first." Nuggets coach Mike Malone expressed his pride in the team's mature performance, saying, "Proud of the group. They handled their business like they're supposed to, like mature teams do." Michael Porter Jr.
also commented on the team's offensive performance, saying, "The offense looks a little different when 'Joke' isn't out there, but we've been making it work. We've just got a lot of dudes who can do a lot of different things."
Hawks Close Gap in Series Against Celtics
In Friday's other game, the Atlanta Hawks reduced their series deficit against the Boston Celtics to 1-2, following a 130-122 victory at home. Atlanta star Trae Young was instrumental in the win, scoring 15 of his 32 points in the final quarter.
