Game ID: 22300120
Cleveland Cavaliers @ New York Knicks
Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at 7:30 PM ET
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
NYK 22 28 13 26 89CLE 24 25 22 24 95
CLE @ NYK ScoutingCLE @ NYK Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
NYK availability going into 10/25 · season opener
full strength
NYK availability going into 10/27 · 1 day's rest
full strength
NYK availability going into 10/28 · back-to-backOUT McBride missed 2 since 10/25, returns tonight: 4 min (22% of 21)
OUT Fournier missed 2 since 10/25, out tonight
OUT Sims missed 2 since 10/25, returns tonight: 4 min (37% of 12)
NYK availability going into 10/31 · 2 days' restOUT Fournier missed 3 since 10/25, out tonight
BACK McBride back 10/28 after 2, 4 min since (22% of 21)
BACK Sims back 10/28 after 2, 4 min since (37% of 12)
NEW Robinson 24 to 30 min over the last 3
NYK availability going into 11/01 · back-to-backOUT Fournier missed 4 since 10/25, out tonight
BACK McBride back 10/28 after 2, 4 min since (21% of 21)
BACK Sims back 10/28 after 2, 4 min since (30% of 12)
NYK availability going into 11/03 · 1 day's restOUT Fournier missed 5 since 10/25, out tonight
BACK McBride back 10/28 after 2, 6 min since (29% of 21)
BACK Sims back 10/28 after 2, 4 min since (30% of 12)
NYK availability going into 11/06 · 2 days' restOUT Barrett missed 2 since 11/01, returns tonight: 31 min (104% of 30)
OUT Fournier missed 6 since 10/25, out tonight
OUT Sims missed 2 since 11/01, out tonight
BACK McBride back 10/28 after 2, 5 min since (24% of 21)
NEW Robinson 24 to 30 min over the last 5
NEW Grimes 20 to 26 min over the last 5
NYK availability going into 11/08 · 1 day's restOUT Fournier missed 7 since 10/25, out tonight
OUT Sims missed 3 since 11/01, returns tonight: 2 min (12% of 12)
BACK Barrett back 11/06 after 2, 31 min since (104% of 30)
BACK McBride back 10/28 after 2, 5 min since (24% of 21)
NEW Robinson 24 to 30 min over the last 5
NYK availability going into 11/12 · 3 days' restOUT Fournier missed 8 since 10/25, out tonight
BACK Barrett back 11/06 after 2, 31 min since (106% of 30)
BACK Sims back 11/08 after 3, 2 min since (12% of 12)
NEW Robinson 24 to 30 min over the last 5
CLE availability going into 10/25 · season opener
full strength
CLE availability going into 10/27 · 1 day's rest
full strength
CLE availability going into 10/28 · back-to-backOUT Merrill missed 2 since 10/25, returns tonight: 6 min (35% of 17)
OUT Thompson missed 2 since 10/25, returns tonight: 8 min (78% of 11)
CLE availability going into 10/31 · 2 days' restOUT Garland missed 2 since 10/27, out tonight
BACK Merrill back 10/28 after 2, 6 min since (35% of 17)
BACK Thompson back 10/28 after 2, 8 min since (78% of 11)
NEW Strus 33 to 40 min over the last 3
NEW LeVert 28 to 36 min over the last 3
NEW Okoro 26 to 32 min over the last 3
CLE availability going into 11/01 · back-to-backOUT Garland missed 3 since 10/27, out tonight
BACK Merrill back 10/28 after 2, 10 min since (59% of 17)
BACK Thompson back 10/28 after 2, 14 min since (126% of 11)
NEW Strus 33 to 38 min over the last 4
NEW LeVert 28 to 36 min over the last 3
NEW Wade 20 to 27 min over the last 3
CLE availability going into 11/03 · 1 day's restOUT Garland missed 4 since 10/27, returns tonight: 32 min (95% of 34)
BACK Merrill back 10/28 after 2, 10 min since (59% of 17)
BACK Thompson back 10/28 after 2, 13 min since (123% of 11)
NEW LeVert 28 to 34 min over the last 4
CLE availability going into 11/05 · 1 day's restOUT Merrill missed 2 since 11/01, returns tonight: 1 min (7% of 17)
BACK Garland back 11/03 after 4, 32 min since (95% of 34)
BACK Thompson back 10/28 after 2, 11 min since (99% of 11)
NEW LeVert 28 to 34 min over the last 4
CLE availability going into 11/08 · 2 days' restOUT Porter Jr. missed 2 since 11/03, out tonight
BACK Garland back 11/03 after 4, 31 min since (92% of 34)
BACK Merrill back 10/28 after 2, 7 min since (41% of 17)
BACK Thompson back 10/28 after 2, 11 min since (100% of 11)
NEW LeVert 28 to 34 min over the last 4
CLE availability going into 11/11 · 2 days' restOUT Okoro missed 2 since 11/05, out tonight
OUT Porter Jr. missed 3 since 11/03, returns tonight: 2 min (12% of 13)
BACK Garland back 11/03 after 4, 33 min since (97% of 34)
BACK Merrill back 11/05 after 2, 1 min since (7% of 17)
10/25 vs BOS 104-108 — NYK notes
NYK lost 104-108. NYK took 20 more shots (97 to 77), fed by 17 offensive rebounds, but shot 37% to BOS's 48%, 18 of 41 from three. Barrett led with 24 (8 of 20, 2 of 5 from three, 6 of 7 at the line); Quickley added 24, Brunson 15. Q2 was theirs, 28-21, the deficit cut from 12 to 5, but the other 3 periods went 87-76 against them. Randle's -13 in 34 minutes was the worst on the floor.
10/27 @ ATL 126-120 — NYK notes
NYK won 126-120. NYK shot 48% (43 of 90) to ATL's 48%, 20 of 44 from three. Brunson led with 31 (11 of 21, 8 of 12 from three); Barrett added 26, Randle 17. The hinge was Q1, 35-31: from level to 4 ahead. Brunson was the night's best plus/minus at +13.
10/28 @ NOP 87-96 — NYK notes
NYK lost 87-96. NYK shot 37% (33 of 90) to NOP's 46%, 7 of 37 from three. NYK turned it over 18 times to NOP's 13, and NOP turned those into 8 steals. The glass went 59-43 for them. Barrett led with 18 (7 of 16, 1 of 6 from three); Brunson added 14, Randle 10. Q3 was theirs, 31-22, the deficit cut from 18 to 9, but the other 3 periods went 74-56 against them. Barrett's -15 in 30 minutes was the worst on the floor.
10/31 @ CLE 109-91 — NYK notes
NYK won 109-91. NYK shot 44% (38 of 86) to CLE's 39%, 13 of 34 from three, and went to the line 25 times to CLE's 12 — 20 points from the stripe to their 9. Brunson led with 19 (7 of 16, 1 of 3 from three); Randle added 19, Quickley 18. The hinge was Q3, 28-16: a lead of 6 became 18, and the lead reached 23. Brunson was the night's best plus/minus at +21.
11/01 vs CLE 89-95 — NYK notes
NYK lost 89-95. NYK took 18 more shots (92 to 74), fed by 16 offensive rebounds, but shot 35% to CLE's 43%, 5 of 30 from three, and went to the line 30 times to CLE's 20 — 20 points from the stripe to their 19. NYK turned it over 13 times to CLE's 18. Brunson led with 24 (8 of 23, 8 of 9 at the line); Quickley added 18, DiVincenzo 16. Q2 was theirs, 28-25, turning a 2-point deficit into a 1-point lead, but the other 3 periods went 70-61 against them. Grimes's -9 in 22 minutes was the worst on the floor.
11/06 vs LAC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New York comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 103 a night and allowing 102, shooting 41 percent and 30 from three, 25 free throws a game; Brunson at 27 and Barrett at 20 a game. It has won the glass by 8 a night. Without Barrett (2 straight). 2 days' rest. The Clippers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 109, shooting 51 percent and 42 from three, 23 free throws a game; George at 29 and Leonard at 23 a game. 4 days' rest.
So: The Clippers win, on the road, and the game turns on the arc, the Clippers at 42 percent from three to New York's 30 and the glass, where New York has been plus-8 a night and the Clippers plus-1. Call it the Clippers 111, New York 107, New York keeping it close.
11/08 vs SAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New York comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 100 a night and allowing 98, shooting 40 percent and 27 from three, 23 free throws a game; Brunson at 22 and Barrett at 20 a game. It has won the glass by 11 a night. One day's rest. San Antonio comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 111 a night and allowing 127, shooting 46 percent and 37 from three, 18 free throws a game; Wembanyama at 20 and Vassell at 16 a game. It has lost the glass by 5 a night. Without Vassell (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: New York wins, and the game turns on the defense, New York allowing 98 a night to San Antonio's 127 and the glass, where New York has been plus-11 a night and San Antonio minus-5. Call it New York 116, San Antonio 105, New York by 11.
11/12 vs CHA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
New York comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 108 a night and allowing 100, shooting 42 percent and 34 from three, 24 free throws a game; Brunson at 24 and Barrett at 22 a game. It has won the glass by 8 a night. 3 days' rest. Charlotte comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 125, shooting 50 percent and 32 from three, 26 free throws a game; Ball at 24 and Hayward at 21 a game. It has won the glass by 9 a night. Without Bridges (7 straight), Rozier (3 straight). One day's rest.
So: New York wins, and the game turns on the defense, New York allowing 100 a night to Charlotte's 125. Call it New York 117, Charlotte 109.
10/25 @ BKN 114-113 — CLE notes
CLE won 114-113. CLE shot 47% (44 of 94) to BKN's 50%, 17 of 43 from three, and got to the line 10 times to BKN's 26. CLE turned it over 10 times to BKN's 17. The glass went 38-50 against them. Strus led with 27 (9 of 17, 7 of 13 from three); Mitchell added 27, Okoro 18. The hinge was Q1, 37-32: from level to 5 ahead. Strus was the night's best plus/minus at +13.
10/27 vs OKC 105-108 — CLE notes
CLE lost 105-108. CLE shot 41% (38 of 92) to OKC's 46%, 12 of 45 from three. CLE turned it over 13 times to OKC's 18. Mitchell led with 43 (15 of 27, 4 of 11 from three, 9 of 11 at the line); LeVert added 17, Mobley 14. Q3 was theirs, 33-27, the deficit cut from 10 to 4, but the other 3 periods went 81-72 against them. They led by as many as 10.
10/28 vs IND 113-125 — CLE notes
CLE lost 113-125. CLE shot 43% (43 of 99) to IND's 49%, 12 of 31 from three, and went to the line 24 times to IND's 17 — 15 points from the stripe to their 14. Mobley led with 33 (12 of 22, 8 of 10 at the line); LeVert added 31, Strus 21. Q3 was theirs, 38-31, the deficit cut from 11 to 4, but the other 3 periods went 94-75 against them. They led by as many as 15. Niang's -16 in 19 minutes was the worst on the floor.
10/31 vs NYK 91-109 — CLE notes
CLE lost 91-109. CLE shot 39% (36 of 92) to NYK's 44%, 10 of 38 from three, and got to the line just 12 times against 19 fouls committed. Mitchell led with 26 (11 of 20, 0 of 3 from three); Okoro added 11, Niang 11. Q4 was theirs, 23-23, but the other 3 periods went 86-68 against them. E. Mobley's -19 in 29 minutes was the worst on the floor.
11/01 @ NYK 95-89 — CLE notes
CLE won 95-89. CLE shot 43% (32 of 74) to NYK's 35%, 12 of 32 from three, and got to the line 20 times to NYK's 30. CLE turned it over 18 times to NYK's 13, and NYK turned those into 10 steals. Mitchell led with 30 (9 of 22, 6 of 15 from three, 6 of 6 at the line); LeVert added 19, Mobley 14. The hinge was Q3, 22-13: CLE came in trailing by 1 and left it ahead by 8. CLE trailed 49-50 at the half and won the second half 46-39. LeVert was the night's best plus/minus at +10.
11/05 vs GSW — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Cleveland comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 104 a night and allowing 110, shooting 44 percent and 31 from three, 21 free throws a game; Mitchell at 34 and LeVert at 20 a game. Without Merrill (2 straight). One day's rest. Golden State comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 110, shooting 51 percent and 40 from three, 20 free throws a game; Curry at 32 and Thompson at 17 a game. That is 5 straight wins. It has won the glass by 5 a night. Without Podziemski (2 straight), Jackson-Davis (2 straight). One day's rest.
So: Golden State wins, on the road, and the game turns on the arc, Golden State at 40 percent from three to Cleveland's 31 and the glass, where Golden State has been plus-5 a night and Cleveland minus-1. Call it Golden State 113, Cleveland 109, Cleveland keeping it close.
11/08 @ OKC — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
OKC comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 118 a night and allowing 122, shooting 49 percent and 35 from three, 25 free throws a game; Gilgeous-Alexander at 22 and Holmgren at 18 a game. It has lost the glass by 8 a night. One day's rest. Cleveland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 110, shooting 45 percent and 32 from three, 22 free throws a game; Mitchell at 31 and LeVert at 18 a game. 2 days' rest.
So: OKC wins, and the game turns on the glass, where Cleveland has been plus-0 a night and OKC minus-8 and the defense, Cleveland allowing 110 a night to OKC's 122. Call it OKC 115, Cleveland 112, Cleveland keeping it close.
11/11 @ GSW — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Golden State comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 114, shooting 46 percent and 36 from three, 24 free throws a game; Curry at 27 and Thompson at 16 a game. 2 days' rest. Cleveland comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 107 a night and allowing 110, shooting 47 percent and 30 from three, 24 free throws a game; Mitchell at 29 and Garland at 18 a game. Without Okoro (2 straight). 2 days' rest.
So: Golden State wins, and the game turns on the arc, Golden State at 36 percent from three to Cleveland's 30 and the turnovers, Cleveland giving it away 16 times a game to Golden State's 13. Call it Golden State 114, Cleveland 109.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
CLECL C. LeVert
CP C. Porter Jr.
DM D. Mitchell
DW D. Wade
EM E. Mobley
GN G. Niang
IO I. Okoro
MS M. Strus
TT T. Thompson
NYKDD D. DiVincenzo
IH I. Hartenstein
IQ I. Quickley
JB J. Brunson
JH J. Hart
JR J. Randle
MM M. McBride
MR M. Robinson
QG Q. Grimes
CLE/NYK the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Mitchell scores 30 points as the Cavaliers snap a 3-game skid, beating the Knicks 95-89
NEW YORK -- — Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a three-game skid with a 95-89 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.
Caris LeVert scored 19 and Eric Mobley added 14 for Cleveland, which was again missing starters Darius Garland (strained hamstring), center Jarrett Allen (ankle bone bruise) and backup guard Ty Jerome (sprained ankle) with injuries.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 24 points. Immanuel Quickley scored 18, Donte DiVincenzo had 16 and Mitchell Robinson finished with 16 rebounds.
New York was without RJ Barrett , who sat with a sore left knee. Julius Randle’s offense was also missing, as he finished with six points on 3-for-15 shooting from the field and 0-for-6 sniping from long distance.
“Their defense was tough. It was a defensive game,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We needed more easy baskets and we didn’t get those. You gotta find a way to win. That is the bottom line.”
The Knicks led 50-49 at halftime before the Cavaliers opened the third quarter with a 13-5 run and never relinquished the lead. Cleveland took an eight-point lead at 69-61 on Dean Wade’s 3-pointer with 55 seconds remaining in the quarter.
The Knicks were held to 13 points in the period and the Cavaliers carried a 71-63 lead into the fourth.
“We haven’t been defending the way we are capable of defending so far this year,” Cavaliers’ coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “We challenge our guys to go out and defend and play Cavaliers basketball. That’s what I’m proud of. We showed our true grit.”
Wade hit another 3-pointer that gave Cleveland its biggest lead of the game at 77-68 with 9:10 remaining.
The Knicks closed within two points, 79-77, on Robinson’s free throw with 2:48 remaining. But Mitchell followed with a 3-pointer and a floater on the Cavalier’s next two possessions.
“I just needed to make a damn shot. I work for the moments like that,” Mitchell said. “I was a little tired, but my teammates count on me when it matters most. Sometimes you just gotta go out there and find a way to win. That’s what I pride myself on.”
The Knicks, who were held to 34.8% shooting (32 of 92) from the field and 16.7% (5 of 30) from 3-point range, never got closer than five points the rest of the way.
The Cavaliers scored the first five points of the game and the Knicks scored the next nine.
Mitchell had 13 points in the opening quarter, but the rest of the team scored only 11 as Cleveland led 24-22 after the first.
The Knicks took their biggest lead of the first half, 33-28, on Josh Hart’s basket with 9:21 remaining in the second quarter. Hart finished with 11 points.
“That’s who number 45 is,” Bickerstaff said of Mitchell. “He can create at the end of games. He has the courage to take big shots and make big shots. When you have a lead and you have 45 on your team, you always have a chance to win it.”