The Cavaliers made it back to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2018—and after getting swept by the Knicks, it still somehow feels like a disappointing result.
Cleveland emerged from two hard-fought seven-game series poised to steal Game 1 from New York before an absolutely epic collapse in the fourth quarter led to a stunning loss. That would be the closest the series would get; from that point on the Knicks steamrolled the Cavaliers to the extent they seemed to give up a few times between Game 3 and Game 4. It was a spectacular flame-out that wipes away whatever good feelings might’ve resulted from two playoff series wins.
