Julius Randle helps New York Knicks pull away from Cleveland Cavaliers in 2nd half of NBA game
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New York Knicks forward Julius Randle notched a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds.
PHOTO: REUTERS
CLEVELAND – Julius Randle posted a double-double on Tuesday night for the visiting New York Knicks, who pulled away in the second half to defeat the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers 109-91 in the National Basketball Association (NBA) opener of a home-and-home set.
Randle had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Knicks, who outscored the Cavaliers 51-39 in the second half. The two Eastern Conference rivals are slated to play again on Wednesday night in New York.
Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 26 points for the Cavaliers on his return from a one-game absence caused by a hamstring injury. Isaac Okoro and reserve Georges Niang had 11 points apiece, and Craig Porter added 10 points off the bench.
However, Cleveland – playing without starters Darius Garland (hamstring) and Jarrett Allen (ankle) as well as key reserve Caris LeVert (hamstring) – held just a pair of two-point, first-quarter leads against the Knicks at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Garland has missed the past three games, while Allen has yet to play this season. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff hopes Allen will return soon.
“It’s hit us at a tough time, obviously. Our approach is no different, but you have to accept the results of the situation,” he said.
The result on Tuesday was the same as the last time the Knicks and Cavaliers played in April, when New York defeated Cleveland four games to one in an Eastern Conference first-round play-off series.
Mitchell acknowledged that the Cavaliers were eager to face the Knicks again, but that it could not become the focal point for Cleveland, who will face New York just once more this season after Wednesday, in Ohio on March 3.
“You always have that game circled,” Mitchell said. “But, at the end of the day, we lost. Move on. It’s a new year. We’re competitors, for sure. When you lose to a team like that, you want to go out there and get it. But we’ve got to go out and get one (Wednesday). And if not, we have to move on with this season.”
While the final margin of victory on Tuesday was lopsided, New York will be looking to play a more complete game on Wednesday. Randle posted his fourth double-double in as many games this season, while Jalen Brunson scored 19 points and R.J. Barrett poured in 16 points.
The Knicks got a large chunk of their offence from reserves Immanuel Quickley and Isaiah Hartenstein, who combined for 31 points while combining to shoot 11 for 17 (52.4 per cent) from the field.
With the starters on the floor to open the second half, the Knicks missed two of their first three shots and committed a turnover before coach Tom Thibodeau called timeout with 10min 32sec left and New York up 60-56.
“Can’t say exactly what he said,” said Knicks point guard Brunson.
The Knicks responded to Thibodeau’s tongue-lashing by outscoring the Cavaliers 26-12 over the remainder of the third quarter. New York led by as much as 23 points in the fourth.
“The first five minutes, you’ve got to be ready,” Thibodeau said.
“Usually we’re pretty good from that aspect, so we had to get going. We had to get going together. Sometimes there’s a tendency to ease into things. You can’t. I knew there was urgency on their part.” REUTERS
