Jalen Brunson took over the scoring mantel and outdueled All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell as the Knicks all but sealed a playoff berth.
CLEVELAND — The Knicks might not have Julius Randle back in time for the start of the playoffs, but the preview of a potential first-round matchup featured a scintillating head-to-head battle between the lead guards of the two teams.
Backup power forward Obi Toppin opened the game in place of Randle and scored 12 points in 19 minutes in his first start of the season. Toppin and RJ Barrett also notably had to be separated by Tom Thibodeau and other coaches during an argument at the bench in the third quarter. Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes also contributed 14 points apiece, and Mitchell Robinson posted 10 with 14 rebounds.
Neither team’s offense could be stopped in the first quarter, with the sides combining to shoot 68.1 percent from the field . Mitchell nailed his first eight shots and netting 23 of the Cavaliers’ 47 in the first — a franchise record for any quarter. Brunson nearly matched Mitchell with 21 on 8-for-11 shooting, as the Knicks only trailed by five through one.
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