Having tossed Toronto and downed Detroit, the Cleveland Cavaliers will now look to nix the New York Knicks.

The wait is finally finally over for the Knicks, who at long last know who they’ll face in the Eastern Conference Finals. Cleveland clinched that spot with a dominant Donovan Mitchell performance and a 125-94 mauling of Motor City, punting the Pistons in formidable fashion.

With the Cavs in fourth, the third-seeded Knicks will own homecourt advantage in the best-of-seven set, which tips off on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.

This marks the fifth all-time NBA postseason meeting between New York and Cleveland, with the former winning each of the first four showings. This marks the first such get-together that takes places beyond the opening round.

The last was a five-game prevailing in 2023’s opening round and four metropolitan participants (Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Miles McBride, Mitchell Robinson) are still on the team from that series.

The Knicks’ path to Eastern glory will end against the team it began against: victorious New York and Cleveland previously did battle on opening night back on Oct. 22, which saw the Knicks defend MSG by a 119-111 final. That night saw OG Anunoby post a 24-point, 14-rebound double-double while McBride sank four three-pointers in relief.

The Knicks also took a 126-124 decision from the Cavs on Christmas Day at Madison Square Garden. New York overcame Hart’s medically-induced absence with 34 points from Brunson and a combined 41 from reserves Tyler Kolek and ex-Cav Jordan Clarkson.

Cleveland won the lone Cuyahoga clash, picking up a 109-94 win on Feb. 24. That was also the only meeting where trade deadline addition James Harden took the floor for the Cavs and he scored 20 points while Mitchell led the team with 23.

There will likely be frequent reminders of Mitchell’s move to Lake Erie throughout the series. The New York native was widely presumed to be joining the Knicks when he left his original NBA employers in Utah in 2022 but he was instead moved to the Cavs. Cleveland is finally reaping in the benefits, appearing in its first final four sans LeBron James since 1992.

The winner of this series will battle the victor in the Western Conference equivalent between Oklahoma City and San Antonio for a Larry O’Brien Trophy hoist. View the full schedule below …

(3) KNICKS vs. (4) Cleveland

(All Times ET)
(*-if necessary)

  • Game 1 (@ New York): Tuesday, May 19, 8 p.m., ESPN
  • Game 2 (@ New York): Thursday, May 21, 8 p.m., ESPN
  • Game 3 (@ Cleveland): Saturday, May 23, 8 p.m., ABC
  • Game 4 (@ Cleveland): Monday, May 25, 8 p.m., ESPN
  • *Game 5 (@ New York): Wednesday, May 27, 8 p.m., ESPN
  • *Game 6 (@ Cleveland): Friday, May 29, 8 p.m., ESPN
  • *Game 7 (@ New York): Sunday, May 31, 8 p.m., ESPN