The Knicks are preparing to take on Cleveland tomorrow in Game 2 of the series as they’re up 1-0. Following their impressive opening victory on Saturday, they look to take a commanding 2-0 lead.
Brunson and Randle had a great debut to the 2023 postseason, and hopefully, they can follow up with a solid encore performance.
It’s New York or nowhere, and the Knicks put together a convincing win in game 1. The 101-97 victory was much closer than it needed to be at the end, but fortunately, they were able to close it out when the going got tough. Josh Hart played a huge role in the victory, and he’s been a remarkable acquisition since suiting up for the team. In Saturday’s game, he posted 17 points and snagged 10 boards in 33 minutes off the bench.
However, Hart’s status for Game 2 is “doubtful” after suffering an ankle sprain.
Josh Hart and some others continue to step up for the Knicks:
If Hart can tough out the injury, it may mean that RJ Barrett will see less time on the court. RJ needs to bounce back in Game 2, as he went 2-12 and only put up 7 points in their dub on Saturday. RJ hasn’t had the season he had hoped for, but some solid performances in the postseason could help right the ship. At the end of the day, the playoffs mean more than anything.
Jalen Brunson put up 27 in the victory, and the former Mav has been living up to the hype and expectations all season long. The Mavericks could’ve absolutely used his services as the season winded down, but their loss was the Knicks’ gain. The Knicks have some solid role players that are going to need to step up as the playoffs continue, and they’re going to need IQ to start dropping buckets on the opponents.
He went 0-5 in game 1, so tomorrow could be a nice revenge game for him. Quickley is a big part of this team’s success and is certainly in the running for 6MOTY this season. The Knicks’ ability to spread the floor and get open looks is their bread-and-butter, and Randle being able to shoot threes and run the pick-and-roll is a key to their success.
Randle has been a name stay for the franchise for some time now, and this postseason could be a huge one for him. The stretch-four finished the season with a 25 PPG and 10 RPG line whilst also shooting 34% from three. He looks to show off his skills tomorrow and help lead the Knicks to the 2-0 lead before heading back to MSG. If the Knicks can make quick work of the Cavs, it’ll bode well for them to stay rested and prepared for the next round.
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