Game 1 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks will be held on Saturday, April 15, at 6 p.m. EDT, according to a Sunday tweet from NBA Communications. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN.
On April 15, the Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets will face off at 1 p.m. EDT, the Boston Celtics and the East’s seventh seed will play at 3:30 p.m. EDT and the Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings will square off at 8:30 p.m. EDT.
The Cavs are 1-3 against New York this season, most recently falling in a 130-116 loss in Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in late March. Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, who averaged 17.7 points per game against the Cavs in their three matchups this season, scored 48 points as he hit 18 of his 32 field goal attempts and seven of his 12 3-point shots. Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell countered with 42 points of his own, but Cleveland ultimately could not keep pace as it was outscored in the second and fourth quarters.
“They had confidence in me and the ball just went through the hole,” Brunson said, via NBA.com. “I just kept shooting with confidence and that’s just how it went.”
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach JB Bickerstaff responded positively when asked about his confidence level in what the Cavs can do against New York in the first round of the NBA Playoffs on Sunday.
“I’m confident in our group, period,” Bickerstaff said, via Bally Sports Ohio. “I believe, when we’re at our best, we’re a tough out for anybody. We need to make sure we’re aware and tighten up the details and the execution and all those things.
“It’s going to be a new test for us. We have guys that are going to be in their first playoff series. It’s never going to come easy, but I have a lot of confidence in our group.”