S³ NBA COVERAGE
November 12, 2026 | Sweet Science Sports
The Cleveland Cavaliers haven't forgotten what happened against the New York Knicks last postseason.
New York swept Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals on its way to winning its first NBA championship in 53 years. The Knicks also defeated the Cavaliers just four days ago, extending their recent dominance over Cleveland.
Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden was a different story.
James Harden scored a season-high 32 points, Donovan Mitchell added 23, and Cleveland defeated the defending champions 115-107, snapping New York's four-game winning streak.
For the Cavaliers, this was a much-needed victory after losing two consecutive games. For Harden, it was the kind of performance Cleveland had been waiting to see.
James Harden Finally Breaks Out
Harden hasn't looked like himself during the opening weeks of the season.
The former MVP entered Wednesday averaging just 15.3 points while shooting 36.4 percent from the field. Those aren't the numbers Cleveland expected from a player with his offensive reputation.
Against New York, Harden looked much more comfortable.
He scored 32 points on 9-of-14 shooting, knocked down five of seven three-point attempts and went 9-of-11 from the free-throw line.
His 64.3 percent shooting was easily one of his strongest performances of the season.
But his biggest contribution came when Cleveland needed it most.
The Knicks had erased a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit and tied the game at 101. Madison Square Garden was alive, and Cleveland suddenly found itself facing another late-game collapse against the team that had tormented it in the playoffs.
Harden answered with a three-pointer to put Cleveland ahead 104-101 with just over four minutes remaining.
The Cavaliers never surrendered the lead.
That's the Harden Cleveland needs.
Not necessarily a player who scores 30 every night, but someone who can take pressure off Mitchell and deliver when the offense needs another option.
Cleveland Finishes What It Started
The Cavaliers led 33-23 after the first quarter and carried a 59-53 advantage into halftime.
New York kept fighting its way back.
Jalen Brunson scored 27 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. Miles McBride added 19 points off the bench.
The Knicks were actually the more efficient shooting team, finishing at 49 percent from the field compared with Cleveland's 47 percent.
They also recorded 33 assists to Cleveland's 23.
But basketball games aren't won on shooting percentages and assists alone.
Cleveland committed just nine turnovers, shot 39 percent from three-point range and went 20-of-25 from the free-throw line.
The Knicks made all 11 of their free throws but didn't get to the line nearly enough.
And when the game tightened in the fourth quarter, Cleveland executed.
After Harden's go-ahead three, Evan Mobley scored inside, and Jarrett Allen followed with four consecutive points, including a powerful dunk that pushed Cleveland's lead to 110-103.
There would be no fourth-quarter collapse this time.
Mitchell and the Supporting Cast Deliver
Harden was the headliner, but Cleveland received several important performances.
| Cavaliers | PTS | REB | AST |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Harden | 32 | 2 | 4 |
| Donovan Mitchell | 23 | 7 | 6 |
| Tyrese Proctor | 15 | 3 | 1 |
| Meleek Thomas | 14 | 4 | 1 |
| Jarrett Allen | 11 | 14 | 3 |
| Evan Mobley | 10 | 5 | 3 |
Mitchell's 23 points gave Cleveland another reliable scoring option, while Allen's presence inside helped the Cavaliers finish the game.
Proctor and Thomas combined for 29 points off the bench.
That's significant for a Cleveland team that has struggled to find consistency early in the season.
The Cavaliers don't lack talent. They have Harden, Mitchell, Mobley and Allen, along with young players capable of contributing meaningful minutes.
What they haven't demonstrated consistently is the ability to put everything together.
Wednesday was a reminder of what this roster can do when its best players perform and the supporting cast contributes.
The Defending Champions Have Their Own Concerns
New York didn't play a terrible basketball game.
Brunson scored 27, Towns nearly recorded a triple-double, and the Knicks shot efficiently.
Towns also tied Willis Reed's franchise record with 11 consecutive double-doubles to begin a season.
Those are impressive numbers.
But the Knicks are now 6-5, and their title defense hasn't gotten off to the start they probably envisioned.
Winning a championship changes expectations.
New York is no longer the team trying to prove it belongs among the NBA's elite. It's the team everybody wants to beat.
The Cavaliers experienced firsthand how difficult New York was to eliminate last season.
Wednesday showed that Cleveland is still capable of giving the Knicks problems.
The question for New York is whether it can establish the consistency that made last season's championship run possible.
The talent is there.
The results have been inconsistent.
A Victory Cleveland Needed
The Cavaliers improved to 6-6 with the victory, ending a five-game losing streak against New York that included last season's playoff sweep.
One regular-season victory doesn't erase an Eastern Conference Finals elimination.
Cleveland knows that.
But the Cavaliers needed something positive after a disappointing start to the season, and beating the defending champions on their home floor certainly qualifies.
Harden's performance was especially encouraging.
If he can regain his offensive rhythm, Cleveland becomes a much more difficult team to defend.
Mitchell won't have to carry the scoring responsibility every night, and the Cavaliers will have another proven offensive weapon capable of taking control of a game.
That's what Cleveland hoped it was getting from Harden.
Wednesday night, it finally got a glimpse.
S³ Assessment
Cleveland's 115-107 victory was impressive, particularly considering its recent struggles against New York.
Harden was outstanding, Mitchell provided another strong performance, and the Cavaliers made the plays necessary to finish the game.
But Cleveland is still 6-6.
One victory over the defending champions doesn't suddenly make the Cavaliers the best team in the Eastern Conference.
They have to build on it.
For New York, the loss isn't a reason to panic, but a 6-5 start is hardly what anyone expected from a defending champion.
The Knicks are finding out that defending a championship comes with an entirely different level of pressure.
As for Cleveland?
The Cavaliers finally got one against New York.
And James Harden looked like James Harden again.
