Through three quarters, the opening East Finals looked more like a guarantee than a contest. The Cavaliers have all the markers of a contender ready for the best stages of professional hoops: fresher legs than expected after surviving a tough seven-game series in the semifinals, a double-digit lead that reached 22 in the fourth quarter, and a strong offense that spent a lot of time carving up the Knicks’ defense. Then, in eight minutes and change, the script flipped. The supposedly dead-in-the-water Gothamites shut out regulation and overtime in a stunning 44-11 rout, turning what should have been a procedural Game One victory for the visitors into a reminder of the frailties of postseason control.
Undoubtedly, this rally was amazing in itself. What was most revealing was the methodical approach during the Cavaliers’ panic attack. Jalen Brunson, who once again showed his reliability in the crunch, saw the weak point and continued to press it. He repeatedly hounded James Harden in transition and split sets, in the process forcing the defense to bend and later snap. He scored 11 straight points in what can best be described as a flurry of possessions as the Garden went from anxious to rushed. This trick was not a trick. It didn’t have to be like that.
The judgments came after the results. Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson defended his decision to stick with his veterans late in the game, saying that after they built a lead, they deserved a chance to end the game. Bench strategists often talk about trust as the currency in the playoffs, and the argument is without merit. That said, the National Basketball Association’s archives are littered with examples of fatigue-induced failure. The wine and gold looked to have been spent long before overtime began, and the Knicks were showing it. They managed just four field goals during key stretches and made turnover after turnover when the pressure was on. Third-party proceedings have become increasingly problematic in court.
There is, too, an irony woven into the result. Much of the discussion going into the series centered on whether the Knicks could withstand the depth, speed, and offensive versatility of the Cavaliers long term. Instead, Game One revealed what seemed to be the most important change: emotional expansion. Coming into the series, the blue and orange had spent much of the postseason operating without a positive faceoff, and they remained hopelessly dependent on the intensity they saw in Game One. They just didn’t have the skill in the last eight minutes. They just lost their energy. OG Anunoby is back and anchored the defense. Mikal Bridges made timely plays. Landry Shamet provided an unexpected shot. And Brunson, predictably, met the challenge head-on when the meeting became an ongoing emotional test.
Admittedly, nothing is declared for a single victory in a best-of-seven story. The Cavaliers are always good enough to advance to the NBA Finals; in fact, they have a knack for doing so comfortably when they regain their composure. On the other hand, there is no doubt that scabies can turn into scars. They spent 22 points in fourth place; there is no way that they have not been touched. And the Knicks know the feeling after spending years on the sidelines of such battles: they’re getting closer to relevancy to feel the slip.
Now, the Knicks are using pressure instead of pulling it. And, make no mistake, they are more than happy to do so. Amidst the celebration that followed the final whistle, the switch seemed bigger than the return itself.
Anthony L. Cuaycong was writing The court since BusinessWorld launched the Sports category in 1994. He is a consultant in strategic planning, operations and human resources management, business communication, and business development.
