Knicks 106, Cavs 86: Scenes from the stoppable force beating the movable object

Today’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee(-ish) was a tale of two halves if there ever was one.

First half: Knicks come out with so-so effort, leave the perimeter too open, enter the half down 50-49.

Second half: Knicks come out with consistent, pesky defensive effort up and down the roster, lock down the Cavs’ guards, win 106-86.

Five Knicks scored in double digits, including Julius Randle and Marcus Morris dropping 19 each. Randle shot 7-17 and added nine rebounds.

Morris added three rebounds and a steal to his 8-16 shooting performance, but had a scary potential injury just two-and-a-half weeks before the trade deadline:

Luckily Morris came back and seems alright, but maybe he can have a “flare-up” until the trade deadline? Yeah?

Frank Ntilikina put up a modest six points, three assists and two blocks off the bench, but made Colin Sexton’s life a total hell in the second half.

Damyean Dotson chipped in an efficient 12 points and great defense off the bench, and Taj Gibson had 10 points of 4-5 shooting for another efficient night.

This was fun! Hopefully the Knicks at least play like this more, even if the wins don’t come every night. Lakers are up next, so the party might be over quick. Enjoy this one.