Cleveland beats New York and ties in the Eastern Conference standings
The Cleveland Cavaliers dominated the New York Knicks 109-94. Donovan Mitchell and James Harden led their team to an important victory that allows the Cavs to catch up with New York in the standings with an identical record of 37 wins and 22 losses.
Photo Credit : © Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers sent a strong message by defeating the New York Knicks 109-94 at Rocket Arena. This victory allows the Cavs to tie with the Knicks for third place in the Eastern Conference, with both teams now showing an identical record of 37 wins and 22 losses.
The duo of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden once again shined to lead Cleveland to success. Mitchell scored 23 points despite difficult shooting at 5/18 from the field, compensating with his defense with three steals, five rebounds and four assists. For his part, Harden contributed 20 points on 8/18 shooting with four assists, orchestrating the Cavs’ offense throughout the game.
Jarrett Allen makes the difference, the Knicks collapse in the third quarter
Jarrett Allen also played a crucial role in this victory with 19 points and 10 rebounds on an excellent 7/8 shooting. After failing to involve him in the loss to Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, the Cavaliers corrected course by ensuring Allen was at the heart of the offense from the start of the game.
Jarrett Allen is hoopin pic.twitter.com/3hZpTEXgcJ
— Mack Perry (@DevaronPerry) February 25, 2026
The turning point of the game came in the third quarter, where Cleveland definitively took control. The Knicks completely collapsed after halftime, scoring only 11 points in the third quarter with a terrible 3/24 from the field and 1/12 from three-point range. This offensive meltdown allowed the Cavs to win the quarter 23-11 and build an 18-point lead they never relinquished.
For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson led the offense with 20 points on 6/19 shooting and four assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 14 points and seven rebounds on a perfect 5/5 shooting, but committed five turnovers. Mikal Bridges contributed 18 points on 6/17 shooting.
This victory positions Cleveland just one and a half games behind the Boston Celtics for second place in the Eastern Conference. The Cavaliers will continue tomorrow night with a trip to face the Milwaukee Bucks.
With a background in sports management, Nicolas Flamecourt covers NBA news with a particular passion for the North American league, which he has been following for several years. He also covers the NCAA, including news and scouting of future prospects, and regularly conducts interviews with French players as well as players competing in Europe.
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