Brunson Steers, Anunoby Soars: Knicks Open With a Statement Win

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In the opening game of the 2025-26 season, the New York Knicks edged out the Cleveland Cavaliers 119-111 in a hard-fought victory at Madison Square Garden.

Early Momentum & Mid-Game Slide

New York jumped out of the gates strongly, posting a 33-23 lead after the first quarter and heading into the half up 65-50. They pushed the lead to 75-60 early in the third, but then the Cavaliers mounted a serious comeback — a 26-10 run sent the contest into a tie by the end of the quarter.

Fourth Quarter: Knicks Flip the Switch

With the game level entering the final quarter, the Knicks turned on the heat: a decisive 14-0 run early in the fourth broke things open. The turning point? A three-point play by Karl‑Anthony Towns, battling through a quad strain, helped ignite the run. From there, Cleveland cut it to within five (110-105) with two minutes to go, but a timely 3-pointer by OG Anunoby and a late 9-6 stretch sealed the deal.

Stand-Out Performances

OG Anunoby: 24 points, 14 rebounds (tying a career high), multiple deflections, and defensive presence.
Karl-Anthony Towns: Despite a Grade 2 quad strain, he posted 19 points and 11 rebounds in 31 minutes.
Jalen Brunson: 23 points, leading the team from the guard spot.
Mikal Bridges and Miles McBride also chipped in double‐figure contributions, showing depth.
For Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell dropped 31 points, with Evan Mobley adding 22, but it wasn’t enough.

Context & Takeaways

This marked the debut of new head coach Mike Brown for the Knicks, after the franchise parted ways with Tom Thibodeau despite a deep playoff run last season.
Both teams were missing key contributors: The Knicks without Mitchell Robinson (load management) and Josh Hart (back spasms). The Cavaliers are missing Darius Garland, Max Strus, and De’Andre Hunter due to offseason surgeries/injuries.
The win shows New York’s resilience: dealing with injuries, game swings, and still closing out a strong opponent. It also gives them instant credibility with two Eastern Conference contenders facing off.

What This Win Suggests

The Knicks’ ceiling is real: A core with Brunson, Bridges, Anunoby, and Towns has both offensive firepower and defensive versatility.
Health matters: Both teams’ injuries loom large. It’s early, but sustaining availability will be key for the Knicks.
Fourth‐quarter focus: The Knicks flipped the script after a shaky middle. If that becomes a pattern (closing strong), they’ll be threatening deep in the East.
Cleveland is still dangerous: Mitchell and Mobley are elite, and when their roster is healthy, they’ll contend. But New York showed they can hang even now.

Looking Ahead

With a successful opener, New York builds confidence. The next stretch will test them further: consistency, health, and how coach Brown’s system holds up under tougher circumstances. If they can keep up performances like Anunoby’s monster outing and Towns’ grit through injury, they’re not just playoff-bound—they could be real challengers.