Is a Cavs-Knicks Rivalry Brewing?

The Cleveland Cavaliers were able to take down the New York Knicks Wednesday night, advancing to 2-3 and splitting the early two game series with New York. With last season’s postseason matchup between the two, and with how the two games looked this season, is there a rivalry brewing between these teams? Here’s a look at the history, and the current tension, between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knickerbockers. 

The History

Through their regular season matchups the Cavs and Knicks are pretty evenly matched. Across 225 games Cleveland has won 105 times, and New York has won 120 times. This means that Cleveland has won 46.67 percent of the time, while New York has won 53.34 percent of the time. 

The post season, though, is another story. These teams have squared off four times in the playoffs (1978, 1995, 1996 and 2023). These four series contained a total of 14 games, of which the Knicks won 12 and the Cavaliers won 2. New York has taken each series, making them 4-0 against Cleveland in the postseason. In fact, the Knicks eliminated Cleveland in the first round each of these years. 

Current teams

In 2023’s playoff series between the two, New York won four games to Cleveland’s one. Though Cleveland’s shortcomings were on full display, these games were hard fought. Cleveland averaged 94.2 points a game to New York’s 99.6 points per game. Cleveland averaged 37.2 rebounds per game to New York’s 45.4, and Cleveland averaged 22 assists to New York’s 18. 

The games played this year showed that there might be some tension forming between the teams. It’s rare that the first few games of the season have that playoff feel to them. That, however, is just how these games felt. This is despite the fact that by the winding down point of each game there was a clear winner. The Knicks took the first game 109-9,  while the Cavs took the second 95-89. The Cavs victory should have a slightly wider difference, as New York employed the intentional fouling pretty early. Both teams played hard in both games (indicated by each team taking down the other on their home court on back to back nights), and the residual tension from 2023 was apparent. 

The teams only play each other one more time this season on March 3, 2024 (Sunday) in Cleveland. It’ll be one to watch, as by that point the playoff picture will be more focused and these two young and talented teams’ aspirations more at stake. 

Although up until this point it’s been a postseason rivalry it could eventually bleed into an organic rivalry a la Golden State circa 2015-16. 

Cleveland’s next game is tonight (November 3, 2023) against the Indians Pacers at 7:00 PM in Indianapolis. 

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Featured photo courtesy of NBA.com
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