Tonight, New York Knicks (37*-21) take on Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers (36-22) at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. A win would give the third-place Knicks some breathing room over the fourth-place Cavaliers, but that’s easier said than done. Despite their recent loss to the Thunder, the Ohio Players have been on a tear of late, winning 12 of their last 15. Meanwhile, the Knicks have gone 7-3 over their last ten games.
The Knicks put a win in their stocking when they edged the Cavs 126-124 on Christmas Day at MSG. Jalen Brunson and Donovan Mitchell both scored 34 points.
Tonight’s foe ranks third in the league with 119.7 points per game. Cleveland’s offensive rating sits at 118.4, good for fifth, and their defensive rating is 114.2. They also fire off about 40 three-pointers per outing, making 36%.
Mitchell leads the Cavaliers with 28.6 points per game and shoots 37% from three. Evan Mobley averages 17.7 points and grabs 8.6 rebounds. Newest furry face James Harden puts up 18.7 points and dishes 8.7 assists. Jarrett Allen contributes 14.8 points and 8.5 rebounds.
Coach Kenny Atkinson is expected to start Spida, Harden, Mobley, Dean Wade, and Allen. Max Strus is out for the Cavaliers with a foot injury, and Miles McBride remains out for the Knicks.
Prediction
ESPN gives the Knicks a 42% chance to win. Ouch. To win tonight is an inside and outside job. New York needs to apply strong perimeter defense on Mitchell and Harden, and they must dominate the boards against a very tall frontcourt. Mitchell Robinson should be available, and we expect to see Coach Brown pair him with Karl-Anthony Towns. Will it be enough to complete a three-game season sweep? Sure, why not. Knicks by one.
Game Details
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Place: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
TV: MSG, Peacock
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
* Should be one more, but the Cup Final warn’t worth nuffin.