The New York Knicks have established a great start as they dethroned the Cleveland Cavaliers 119-111 in Madison Square Garden.
Despite the Cavs playing without some of their main cores, such as Darius Garland, DeAndre Hunter, and Max Strus, head coach Kenny Atkinson credited the Knicks’ efforts, which he said were more aggressive now.
They were the more aggressive team…Kind of dominated us in every area…I felt like they thoroughly outplayed us…Credit to them, they were the better team tonight…”
With Mike Brown as the new head tactician for the New York, he said that the faster pace would be a more obvious difference in their system.
Aside from their key players and newcomers, the Knicks utilized a system that emphasized aggressiveness in driving to the basket, resulting in 36 free-throw attempts.
Both teams were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers during their last playoff run, but now it could be different with Tyrese Haliburton’s absence, which could make them a dominant force in the Eastern Conference.
Last season, the Cavaliers finished as the first seed with 64 wins, while the Knicks finished as the third seed with 51 wins. However, New York made more adjustments to the roster and system this offseason.
