New York Knicks
2026-12-21
Preview
Cleveland Cavaliers
Biggest mismatches
A clash of tempos: CLE plays at the 4th-fastest pace, NYK at the 29th.
Team vs team
Season before this game (NYK 8 games, CLE 8). Small text is the league rank; ✓ marks the better number. Hover a stat for what it means.
NYKCLEScoring
110.021st · Below avg
Points per game
NBA avg 113.4
119.25th · Top 5
105.12nd · Top 5
Points allowed
NBA avg 113.6
117.123rd · Below avg
+4.910th · Above avg
Point margin
NBA avg -0.2
+2.115th · Average
Efficiency
110.617th · Average
Offensive rating
NBA avg 110.8
114.38th · Above avg
106.45th · Top 5
Defensive rating
NBA avg 110.9
111.419th · Average
+4.110th · Above avg
Net rating
NBA avg -0.1
+2.913th · Average
99.129th
Pace
NBA avg 102.4
104.74th
Shooting
51.2%26th · Bottom 5
Effective FG%
NBA avg 53.2%
54.9%7th · Above avg
55.3%24th · Below avg
True shooting %
NBA avg 57.1%
58.4%8th · Above avg
14.68th · Above avg
Threes made
NBA avg 13.1
15.63rd · Top 5
36.6%10th · Above avg
Three-point %
NBA avg 34.6%
37.2%9th · Above avg
0.2817th · Average
Free-throw rate
NBA avg 0.29
0.2819th · Average
Defense
51.1%7th · Above avg
Opponent eFG%
NBA avg 53.2%
52.1%11th · Average
7.423rd · Below avg
Steals
NBA avg 8.5
7.224th · Below avg
4.423rd · Below avg
Blocks
NBA avg 5.0
6.05th · Top 5
Possessions
14.4%12th · Average
Turnover rate
NBA avg 14.8%
12.9%4th · Top 5
31.9%3rd · Top 5
Off. rebound rate
NBA avg 27.3%
25.2%20th · Average
48.25th · Top 5
Rebounds
NBA avg 44.2
47.56th · Above avg
26.018th · Average
Assists
NBA avg 26.2
27.85th · Top 5
Recent form
New York KnicksWWLWW
Last 5: average margin +11.6 (season +4.9). Streak W2.
Cleveland CavaliersWLWLL
Last 5: average margin +3.8 (season +2.1). Streak L2.
Key players
New York Knicks| Player | PTS | REB | AST | TS% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen BrunsonG | 25.6 | 2.6 | 5.1 | 53.8 |
| Karl-Anthony TownsC | 19.9 | 13.6 | 3.1 | 67.4 |
| OG AnunobyF | 16.6 | 5.5 | 2.5 | 56.4 |
| Dalton KnechtF | 10.0 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 83.3 |
Cleveland Cavaliers| Player | PTS | REB | AST | TS% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donovan MitchellG | 22.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 61.8 |
| Evan MobleyF-C | 18.8 | 8.2 | 3.5 | 65.5 |
| James HardenG | 16.6 | 5.2 | 6.2 | 54.9 |
| Jarrett AllenC | 13.2 | 7.8 | 1.2 | 66.2 |
Injury report
New York KnicksJosh Hart G · back ~2026-11-07
Day-To-Day
Cleveland CavaliersJaylon Tyson G-F · back ~2026-11-06
Out
Jarrett Allen C · back ~2026-11-06
Day-To-Day
Peyton Watson G · back ~2026-11-06
Day-To-Day
Tyrese Proctor G · back ~2026-11-06
Day-To-Day
Team numbers are computed from every box score this season; ratings use the standard possession estimate. Data from balldontlie; this isn't official NBA data.