Knicks take – Jalen Brunson scored 30 points with six assists as the Knicks beat the Cavaliers 121-108 in Game 3 on May 23, extending their Eastern Conference finals lead to 3-0. Cleveland is now facing elimination, with Game 4 set for Monday, May 25 at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
The Knicks didn’t just win Game 3 at Rocket Arena on Saturday, May 23—they ended the evening with the kind of control that feels hard to shake.
New York took command early, finishing the first quarter ahead 37-27 and building the separation late in the third before closing with a 121-108 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The series now sits at 3-0 for the Knicks, putting Cleveland in a must-win position for Game 4.
No team has come back to win an NBA series after falling behind 3-0. Only three teams have even forced a Game 7 after losing the first three games—and the Knicks have also been joined by the uncomfortable detail that they’ve now taken a commanding lead without giving Cleveland a foothold.
The scoring swing told the story quarter by quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns powered the Knicks’ fast start. scoring 11 points in 11 minutes during the opening quarter and finishing with 13 for the game. Cleveland managed to outscore New York in the second quarter. 27-23. cutting the game to six as both teams headed back to the locker room.
In the third. the Cavaliers stayed close through the early minutes. but the Knicks answered with another run—one that stretched the margin to a 13-point lead late in the period. Jalen Brunson carried New York’s offense, posting 30 points and six assists in 41 minutes. Mikal Bridges added 22 points, shooting 11-for-15 from the field.
The Knicks’ run doesn’t just look hot—it’s been sustained. New York has won 10 straight games and has not lost since suffering back-to-back defeats to the Atlanta Hawks in April. It’s also the sixth time in franchise history that the Knicks have produced five or more double-digit victories in a postseason.
Brunson summed up the approach after Saturday’s win, saying, “Our mindset hasn’t changed. We are trying to get better every day. … We are always looking for ways to get better.”
Before this game, the Knicks’ postseason stretch had already reached historic levels on the numbers they’ve controlled. Across a nine-game span that includes both the regular season and playoffs, New York posted the best point differential ever at 212.
Cleveland’s challenge now is simple, and it showed in the shooting. The Cavaliers never held a lead in Game 3, and their 3-point struggles were stark—Cleveland went 12-for-41 from long range, 29%. With the series slipping away, those misses matter even more when the Knicks keep answering runs.
The pattern is clear across the series: New York has built early advantages. weathered Cleveland’s spurts. and refused to let the Cavaliers get comfortable enough to dictate pace. Each game has added another layer to the gap—especially now. when the league’s track record offers little hope once a team falls behind 3-0.
Cleveland will get its next chance to change the script quickly. The Cavaliers host the Knicks for Game 4 on Monday, May 25, at 8 p.m. ET, with the game broadcast on ESPN.
For New York, the stakes are immediate: the Knicks need one more win to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
Knicks Cavaliers Eastern Conference finals Game 3 Jalen Brunson Mikal Bridges Karl-Anthony Towns Rocket Arena NBA Finals May 23 May 25 ESPN
3-0 already?? I mean Cavs are cooked.
Brunson 30 and 6, wow. But why do they always start hot then stop scoring mid-game? feels like Cleveland gave up.
They say no one comes back from 3-0 but didn’t someone do that like years ago?? also the article mentions Karl-Anthony Towns fast start and I’m confused if he’s even on the Knicks now lol.
Rocket Arena lol I keep thinking it’s in Houston like always. Knicks jumped out 37-27 and then just never let go… Cleveland being “must win” like that is brutal. If Brunson’s still running the show Monday it’s over.