Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell (45) looks to pass to teammate Georges Niang (20) as New York Knicks’ Donte DiVincenzo (0) closes in during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
NEW YORK (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 30 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a three-game skid with a 95-89 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday night.
Caris LeVert scored 19 and Eric Mobley added 14 for Cleveland, which was again missing starters Darius Garland (strained hamstring), center Jarrett Allen (ankle bone bruise), and backup guard Ty Jerome (sprained ankle) with injuries.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 24 points. Immanuel Quickley scored 18, Donte DiVincenzo had 16 and Mitchell Robinson finished with 16 rebounds.
New York was without RJ Barrett, who sat with a sore left knee. Julius Randle’s offense was also missing, as he finished with six points on 3-for-15 shooting from the field and 0-for-6 sniping from long distance.
“Their defense was tough. It was a defensive game,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We needed more easy baskets and we didn’t get those. You gotta find a way to win. That is the bottom line.”
The Knicks led 50-49 at halftime before the Cavaliers opened the third quarter with a 13-5 run and never relinquished the lead. Cleveland took an eight-point lead at 69-61 on Dean Wade’s 3-pointer with 55 seconds remaining in the quarter.
The Knicks were held to 13 points in the period and the Cavaliers carried a 71-63 lead into the fourth.
“We haven’t been defending the way we are capable of defending so far this year,” Cavaliers’ coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “We challenge our guys to go out and defend and play Cavaliers basketball. That’s what I’m proud of. We showed our true grit.”
Wade hit another 3-pointer that gave Cleveland its biggest lead of the game at 77-68 with 9:10 remaining.
The Knicks closed within two points, 79-77, on…
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