The New York Knicks (1-0) took control with a 14-0 run to start the fourth quarter, securing a 119-111 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers (0-1) and their first win under Head Coach Mike Brown on October 23.
Here are the key stats and the top performers from the game.
BEST PLAYER OF THE GAME:
OG Anunoby NYK PF 24 PTS | 14 REB | 3 STL | 51.8 FPS
OG delivered on both ends with an efficient 24-point game, shooting 4-for-9 from three while also leading his team in rebounds and steals.
BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE:
Donovan Mitchell CLE SG 31 PTS | 5 AST | 2 STL | 46.9 FPS
Mitchell took over in the third quarter, dropping 21 big points to tie the game. Despite that, his three-point shooting remained a concern, finishing 2-for-9. But he made up for it with a strong impact in playmaking and defense.
SCORING LEADERS:
Jalen Brunson NYK PG 23 PTS | 5-19 FG | 12-13 FT | 33.3 FPS
Brunson had trouble finding his offense, going 1-for-9 from three, but he compensated with an elite performance from the free-throw line. In last year’s playoffs, he was a force on offense, scoring 30+ points ten times.
Evan Mobley CLE PF 22 PTS | 8-18 FG | 4-8 3PT | 45.1 FPS
Mobley showed significant improvement with his outside shooting in this game. In his last two seasons, he averaged only 0.8 three-pointers per game on 36.3% shooting. He also delivered a strong all-around effort, leading his team in rebounds and stocks.
STAT SPECIALIST:
Karl-Anthony Towns NYK C 19 PTS | 8-9 FT | 11 REB | 32.2 FPS
Towns finished with a strong double-double. Last season, he recorded 58 games with double-digit rebounding performances.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUT:
Mikal Bridges NYK SF 5 REB | 3 STL | 2 BLK | 46.0 FPS
Bridges made an impact in many areas. He started the game red-hot on offense, hitting all four of his shots for 10 points and finished the game, leading his team in assists. Defensively, he was just as impressive, racking up 5 stocks—the most in the game.
THE SHARPSHOOTER:
Dean Wade CLE PF 10 PTS | 3-3 3PT | 1 STL | 18.4 FPS
Wade was perfect from the field, knocking down all of his field goal attempts. Last season, he shot 41.3% from the field and 36% from three.
THE X-FACTOR:
Miles McBride NYK PG 15 PTS | 4-6 3PT | 1 STL | 19. 9 FPS
McBride finished with the best plus-minus on the team at +17 and also led all bench players in scoring.
PLAYER TO WATCH:
Sam Merrill CLE SG 19 PTS | 5-10 3PT | 3 REB | 23.1 FPS
Merrill came up big in the second half, scoring 16 points to keep his team in the game. Last season, he averaged nearly 2 three-pointers per game while shooting 37.2% from three-point range.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE GAME:
Jarrett Allen CLE C 4 PTS | 4 REB | 2 STL
Jarrett had little impact in the game. Last season, however, he was a dominant presence in the paint, leading the team with 9.7 rebounds per game while also posting a team-high 70.6% shooting from the field.
