Cleveland Clips Knicks as New York Returns Home Back in Playoff Race

On Sunday, in the final matchup between the two teams this season, the Knicks held James to just 19 points but were still unable to avoid a sweep from Cleveland with a narrow 98-93 loss at Quicken Loans Arena.

“To beat a team like this you have to play extraordinary,” said Knicks Head Coach Mike D’Antoni, whose team dropped to 28-38 this season. “I thought we played well, but not good enough to beat them.”

Still, the Knicks remain right in the mix for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference after going 3-2 on their recent five-game road trip. The Bucks and Bulls - both winners on Sunday - are only a game and a half ahead of New York for eighth place.

“I think we’re back in the playoff race,” D’Antoni added. “It’s not all in our hands, but we do play teams that we have to knock off. If we’re good enough, we will. If we’re not, we won’t.”

The Knicks showed once again how much they want to make the postseason for the first time in five years as they battled the NBA’s best home team in what could be a first-round preview. Despite shooting 37 percent from the field, New York kept it close throughout by playing solid team defense on the league’s second-best scorer.

New York double-teamed James on several occasions, forcing the rest of the Cavaliers to take the crucial shots with the game tied at 81 midway through the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, they managed to make the baskets down the stretch, including back-to-back layups from Anderson Varejao to seal the game.

“I think our defense was a lot better tonight,” David Lee said. “We did a lot better on LeBron than we have in the past, but more than anything we didn’t shoot the ball well from the outside and I missed some shots inside that I normally hit.”

Al Harrington led the Knicks with 26 points and nine rebounds, while Nate Robinson scored 20 in his second consecutive start in place of the injured Chris Duhon. David Lee recorded his league-leading 54th double-double of the season with 10 and 13.

Mo Williams was the high scorer for the Cavs with 23 points on 5-of-5 shooting from downtown. James, who entered the night with three triple-doubles in his last four games, finished with 10 assists and eight rebounds.

“(James) can affect the game in so many different ways,” said Delonte West, who helped the Cavs improve to 29-1 at home. “Some nights he’ll go off and score a lot of points and other times he will fall back and be more of a facilitator. He’ll adjust to how the defense is playing him and that’s what he did tonight down the stretch.”

The Knicks will have two days off before returning home Wednesday night for a matchup against the Nets, who handed New York a defeat last weekend in the first game of its trip. Sacramento will then make its annual visit to The Garden on Friday.

“We’re excited to go home and win two at The Garden,” Lee said.