Game Summary
The Cavaliers (49-31) visit the Big Apple to take on the New York Knicks (28-52) in the penultimate game of the 2017-18 regular season. Tipoff from Madison Square Garden is at 7:30 p.m. (ET).
With a win over the Knicks on Monday night, Cleveland (49-31) can post a 50-win season for the fourth straight seasons and 11th time in franchise history. The Cavaliers can also clinch their seventh Central Division title with a win on Monday.
Cavs Visit Knicks
From where to catch all the action to Monday's game notes, Cavs.com has you covered.
FOX Sports Ohio, NBATV
100.7 WMMS, 87.7 FM La Mega
Cavs.com's guide to a victory.
Learn more about Monday's matchup.
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The Cavs hold a 10-2 record in their last 12 games. On Friday night in Philadelphia, Cleveland put up 130 points and shot .517 (45-87) from the field. It was their fifth time scoring at least 130 points this season, as well as their 35th time connecting on .500 shooting or better.
On the season, the Cavs are averaging 110.9 points (fifth-highest in the NBA) and shooting .478 from the field (fourth-best in NBA).
Cleveland also went 16-34 (.471) from three-point range in Friday’s game against the Sixers, their fifth straight game hitting at least .400 of their shots from beyond the arc. On the season, the team ranks fifth in three-point percentage (.372). The Cavs have also made at least 16 three-pointers in each of the last three meetings in MSG.
Also on Friday, a bit of history was made after LeBron James posted his 18th triple-double of the season with a game-high 44 points (35 in second half) on 17-29 (.586) shooting, including 4-8 (.500) from deep, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, two steals and a block in 40 minutes. With his 42nd point of the night, James became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 31,000 career points (33 years, 97 days), as well as the seventh player to reach that milestone. He also passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (429) for the fifth-most games of at least 30 points in league history.
James continues to average a triple-double since February 7 (28 games) with 30.3 points (.545 FG%), 10.1 rebounds and 10.2 assists in 37.9 minutes. He has also recorded a triple-double in three of his last seven meetings against the Knicks.
As the Cavaliers head into their second-to-last game of the season, they'll hope to cruise past a Knicks team that has been riddled with injuries all season long. In fact, the club currently has nine players who are either questionable or officially out of Monday night's matchup with Cleveland.
As they begin to wind down their own season, the Knicks have now lost seven of their last 10 and sit just a single game up on the Brooklyn Nets for the last spot in the Atlantic Division.
The club lost their last matchup on Saturday to the feisty Milwaukee Bucks by a score of 115-102. The Knicks' leading scorer for that game, Jarrett Jack, notched 18 points off the bench and tallied seven assists as well. In terms of the starting five, the Knicks were led by big man Kyle O'Quinn who scored 15 points and posted an impressive 16 boards.
Where to Catch the Action
TV: FOX Sports Ohio, NBATV
Radio: 100.7 WMMS, 87.7 La Mega
Programming Note: On Monday, FOX Sports Ohio is airing the Reds – Phillies game (7:00 p.m.) and the Cavs – Knicks game (7:30 p.m.). To view TV listings, CLICK HERE.
For live in-game updates, follow @cavs, @CavsJoeG, @CavsFredMcLeod, @MrCavalier34, @CavsJMike and @chones22 on Twitter.
Probable Starters/Status Update*
#16 - Cedi Osman
#1 - Rodney Hood
#23 - LeBron James
#32 - Jeff Green
#0 - Kevin Love
G
G
F
F
C
#11 - Frank Ntilikina
#23 - Trey Burke
#3 - Tim Hardaway Jr.
#8 - Michael Beasley
#9 - Kyle O'Quinn
Status Update: (Cavs) - George Hill, (Left ankle sprain, Questionable), Jose Calderon, (Left hamstring soreness, Questionable), Rodney Hood, (Left Achilles soreness, Questionable)
Status Update: (Knicks) - Ron Baker, (Right shoulder Surgery, Out), Michael Beasley, (Contused left akle, Questionable), Tim Hardaway Jr., (Sprained left ankle, Doubtful), Enes Kanter, (Sore lower back and right wrist, Doubtful), Emmanuel Mudiay, (Concussion, Out), Joakim Noah, (Personal Reasons, NWT), Kristaps Porzingis, (Torn left ACL, Out), Lance Thomas, (Illness, Questionable), Troy Williams, (Fractured jaw, Out)
*Subject to change.
Head-to-Head Matchup
For the Cavaliers, Monday night's matchup with the Knicks is their final road game of the 2017-18 campaign. The two teams will meet once again in the regular season finale on Wednesday night at The Q.
Cleveland has won 11 of its last 12 games against New York, as well as eight in a row at Madison Square Garden. Over the Cavs’ eight straight wins at MSG, the Wine & Gold have won by an average margin of 11.1 points (104.4-93.3). Cleveland’s defense has limited the Knicks to just .414 shooting from the field over that stretch.
The last time Cleveland and New York squared off, the Cavs picked up a 104-101 come-from-behind victory at Madison Square Garden on November 13. After trailing by 23 points (73-50) late in the third quarter, the Wine & Gold outscored the Knicks 54-28 the rest of the way. It was their largest deficit to overcome since November 11, 2006 when they came back from 25 down to defeat Boston 94-93.
On Deck
Following Monday night's showdown in NYC, the Cavaliers and Knicks will round out the 2017-18 regular season on Fan Appreciation Night in Cleveland on Wednesday. Tipoff is at 8:00 p.m. (ET).
The 2018 NBA Playoffs are scheduled to begin on April 14, but playoff seeding and exact dates are still to be announced.