Knicks lack rhythm, shoot poorly from three in 109-94 loss to Cavaliers

A highly anticipated battle of Eastern Conference forces never took shape on Tuesday night, as the Knicks struggled to build momentum on both ends of the court in a 109-94 loss to the Cavaliers at Rocket Arena.

Here are the takeaways...

-- While both teams came out hot, nearly matching in efficiency and pace, an edge in first-quarter possessions and jumpers from beyond the arc helped the Cavs take a 35-26 lead through 12 minutes. The Knicks lacked ball control, committing six sloppy turnovers in the period that produced seven points in transition, and the Cavs shared the wealth much better, with four of their five starters making three shots apiece. Cleveland also attacked without any fear of New York's physicality, properly balancing movement around the perimeter and inside the paint behind Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.

-- There were signs of the Cavs taking greater command, as their lead reached 12 within a minute of the second quarter due to poor three-point shooting and further turnovers from the Knicks. But the Knicks clawed back, cutting their deficit down to one with a 10-2 run by the 3:00 mark. The catalysts were their bigs down low, as Karl-Anthony Towns scored 11 points by halftime while Mitchell Robinson logged a team-high six rebounds with seven points off the bench. The Cavs responded with an 8-0 run minutes before the break, ultimately entering the locker room with a 60-54 lead. Jalen Brunson had one more point (13) than the Knicks had first-half turnovers (12, a season-worst mark), and they shot an uninspiring 27 percent (4 of 15) from deep.

-- The third quarter started slowly for the Knicks, so much so that they were issued a delay of game violation before the Cavs even inbounded. There was an absence of rhythm and tenacity, and the combination of rushed possessions and poor shot choices kept them from generating any momentum. By the 4:05 mark, a three from Harden pushed the Cavs' lead to 13, forcing the Knicks to burn a timeout. To make matters worse, they couldn't contain Jarrett Allen, who actually led the Cavs in points (18) and rebounds (10) after three quarters. A ghastly 5 of 27 mark from three placed the Knicks in an 18-point hole, and their measly 11 points was their worst third-quarter output since 2022. Towns and Brunson also combined for just two more shot attempts (17) than Mikal Bridges (15).

-- A pair of made threes from Jose Alvarado and Josh Hart early in the fourth quarter were ironic and still too little, too late. The Cavs kept pace with ease, holding a comfortable 20-point lead around the halfway mark. Abysmal three-point shooting and costly turnovers placed the Knicks in a deep hole, and they simply ran out of time to recover or adjust their plan. The body language was ugly too, and a quiet 20-point effort from Brunson wasn't close to sufficient. Towns only scored three points in the second half, and was responsible for nearly one-third (5) of the team's 17 turnovers.

-- Hart, who scored seven points in the first quarter, finished with only 10 across 26 minutes. OG Anunoby was a ghost, as he scored five points on a weak 2 of 9 shooting in 34 minutes. Robinson racked up a team-high 15 boards (eight on offense), but added just two buckets in the second half. It was a dormant night for the Knicks' bench, which delivered 27 points (11 were from Robinson). Mitchell scored a game-high 23 points for the Cavs, while Harden (20) and Allen (19) combined for 39. Overall, the Knicks shot 27 percent from deep (10 of 37).

Game MVP: Jarrett Allen

Most of the attention was directed toward Mitchell and Harden -- and rightfully so -- but it was Allen who gave the Knicks fits in the paint and on the glass. The veteran big finished with 19 points on 7 of 8 shooting with 10 rebounds across 29 minutes.

Highlights

Mikal Bridges to the basket 💪 pic.twitter.com/SAHFcNxIE1

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) February 25, 2026

KAT and-one! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/uyNa3wQvSY

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) February 25, 2026

Flight 23 cleared for takeoff ✈️

Mitch throws it down! pic.twitter.com/UgOlsB4Kex

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) February 25, 2026

Mitchell Robinson dominates the offensive glass 💪 pic.twitter.com/Rn0Qbjbb86

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) February 25, 2026

What's next

The Knicks (37-22) will wrap up their three-game Midwest road trip on Friday night in Milwaukee, with a matchup against the Bucks (8 p.m. tipoff).