The Strickland’s 2026 Eastern Conference Finals roundtable

The Knicks find themselves back in the Eastern Conference Finals against a familiar foe. Can history repeat itself to send the Knicks to their first Finals since 1999?

The Knicks will play the Cavs in the ECF three years after their last playoff meeting. What from that series still matters now?

Prez: Some big men are tall but not all tall men are big. The Knicks got three big men in Mitchell Robinson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby, and the Cavs’ tall men – Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Dean Wade – will have to muster their most physical selves in this series vs. the Knicks if they want to rebound.

Shwin: Not much, but the Knicks still have a decided size and physicality advantage. Mobley and Allen have improved in this regard, as we saw at various points against Toronto and Detroit, but there's still inconsistencies to it. And quite frankly, KAT, Mitch and OG are a different level than what they've faced so far. Controlling the glass and the paint on both ends should and needs to be a major advantage for the Knicks, just like it was three years ago.

Stacy: Mitch is still the best offensive rebounder in the league and Allen and Mobley will still have their hands full with him. Jalen Brunson is still a better closer than Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs still don’t have anyone to guard him (arguably, they have fewer options with Isaac Okoro gone). The Knicks have many more ways to win a series than the format they previously followed (win the rebounding battle, defend, and rely on Brunson brilliance) but they can still beat the Cavs in that fashion. The other thing that hasn’t changed is that Josh Hart as a screener is likely to play a significant role in the Knicks’ offense.  

Alex: Two words: Mitchell Robinson. Two more words: offensive rebounding. Not much more to add than what the other three guys said, but yeah, I think the Knicks are still a much more physical team, maybe even more so than the last time these teams met.

Luca: Much has changed for both teams, besides the fact that the Knicks should still own the glass. Besides still having Mitch and Hart, they’ve since added KAT, OG, and well-known offensive glass cleaner Jordan Clarkson. And we all know Mitch’s history against these Cavs bigs in the playoffs.

How do you feel about the Knicks playing Game 1 after nine days off?

Shwin: Conflicted. The Knicks needed that break if only to ensure OG was back at full strength, and in recent years we’ve seen the cumulative fatigue that builds up in the postseason cost the Knicks against opponents who handled their business in earlier rounds more swiftly. That said, with the zone they were in collectively in addition to simply being locked in for playoff intensity reps, a slow start to begin Game 1 wouldn't surprise me. You would imagine, though, that after a quarter or so things should be back to normal.

Stacy: Overall, I think it is a good thing. We have seen the Knicks in multiple seasons wear down towards the end of their playoff runs. This kind of rest against a team coming off back-to-back seven-game series flips that. OG being healthy is ultimately paramount to any other considerations in my opinion, and I think the time off will help Deuce McBride as well. You don’t love the break coming when the Knicks were playing their best ball, but on the flip side, the additional practice time may have given them the opportunity to add new wrinkles to the KAT Mahomes offense.  

Alex: I’m not all that worried about it. Were the Knicks shooting the lights out prior to this big break? Yes. Am I worried that the long rest might cool them down? A little. But to this point, the 3-point shooting is more what’s allowed them to build some of their ridiculous leads en route to setting all kinds of point differential records through their first 10 playoff games. Even without the gratuitous 3-point shooting, they’re doing enough to win games and making tons of winning plays on both sides of the ball. I think getting OG healthy was the most important thing, and the rest hopefully accomplished that, so I’d consider it a win vs. being more in-rhythm.

What is the Knicks’ biggest advantage in this series? Biggest disadvantage?

Prez: The Knicks’ biggest advantage is, as in most series, that Jalen Brunson is the best scorer in the playoffs.

Biggest disadvantage is likely going to be how to manage when the Cavs are able to put Brunson and Towns into two-man actions. They've been prepared and had ways to counter attempts for much of the season, but Mitchell and James Harden are stronger ball handlers than they've seen thus far in the postseason and Mobley and Allen are capable short-roll playmakers.

Shwin: The Knicks’ biggest advantage is that their wings should be a decisive notch above their Cavs counterparts. Max Strus, Wade, Sam Merrill and Jaylon Tyson aren't bums and are definitively better than what the Sixers had to offer, but the levels we've seen from Hart, Mikal Bridges and Anunoby has been spectacular. 

Stacy: The Knicks’ biggest advantage is their depth. Mitch – the guy who literally won this series three years ago – comes off the freaking bench. Deuce is a sniper and a pest at the point of attack, and comes off the bench. Clarkson, Jose Alvarado and Landry Shamet have all made valuable contributions. Mike Brown has a wider variety of options in terms of personnel and tactics to go to than Kenny Atkinson.

The Knicks’ biggest disadvantage is that Mobley may be the one player most capable of disrupting their newfound offensive nirvana. If he’s allowed to ghost Hart and roam, he’s capable of taking away all the cutting opportunities the Knicks have exploited and force turnovers. Alternatively, he’s the rare big that can stay with KAT on drives but is also big enough to defend his shots. If he plays up on KAT, can he disrupt his vision and subsequently the passing angles KAT has found to dice up the Sixers and Hawks?

Alex: The Knicks’ biggest advantage is their spacing, and what that will open up for them this series. They’re in a unique position now where they can beat the Cavs in the way that they did last time – with reboundsketball led by Mitch, KAT, OG, Hart, and rebounding dynamo Clarkson (still so weird to think about), but they also now have a potent five-out lineup led by KAT at the top of the key. If Mobley or Allen are glued to KAT up there, the other will probably be glued to OG or Hart on the perimeter. That leaves Strus, Harden, and Mitchell to guard three guys in Brunson, Bridges, and either OG or Hart that have proven to be adept cutters with a relatively wide open paint, with Allen and Mobley otherwise occupied. Unless Hart gets nonsensically cold and gives the Cavs an out to have one of Mobley or Allen play free safety, it could get ugly.

I feel like a homer but I don’t feel like the Knicks have a glaring disadvantage in this series short of if they go insanely cold from deep. Or I guess if Brown coaches at all like he did in Games 2 and 3 vs. Atlanta.

How will the starters match up against the Cavs’ starters?

Stacy: I think we’ll see Brunson on Wade. He will have to be diligent boxing out, but he has done a good job punching as much above his weight as possible on defense these playoffs. I think we’ll see KAT on Allen and OG on Mobley. I’m a little agnostic as to which of Bridges and Hart are put on the Cavs’ two star guards, because both have been lights out these playoffs. Given Harden is a little bigger and more screen-reliant, I suppose I’d put Hart on him and have Bridges try to disrupt Mitchell with his length.  

The other end is more interesting to me, because I’m not sure how the Cavs will defend the Knicks. In the regular season, they had Mobley in ghost coverage on Hart. But can Allen defend this version of KAT? The least suspense is on how they will match up with Brunson — Wade is the latest wing to be called a “Brunson stopper.” We’ll see if he has better luck than Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and VJ Edgecombe. Where the Knicks will look to attack is Mitchell and Harden. One of them is likely to be defending OG Anunoby — and neither has shown the discipline, communication and awareness to be effective off-ball. Given the success Anunoby, Hart and Bridges have had off-ball these  playoffs, that seems like the biggest potential opportunity to exploit — if they can keep Mobley away from protecting his guards.  

Alex: See previous question. I think the five-out spacing is going to be huge against the Cavs’ starters, and if KAT gets a decent whistle, he could potentially get Mobley or Allen into foul trouble, which would make things doubly difficult for Cleveland without a great defending bench big to replicate their normal double-big lineup.

Luca: I think we might see OG on Mobley, with Josh and Mikal sharing Mitchell and Harden. I’m curious to see where Brown decides to go with the matchups against the frontcourt given the Cavs’ two All-NBA caliber playmakers, but I think the matchups look a little funkier if he sticks OG on one of the guards and leaves Mikal or Josh to guard a big.

Building off of Stacy’s answer, OG should continue to to cook as he’s done all playoffs long. Neither Mitchell nor Harden are even average defenders, and Brown has found ways to exploit much better defenders across two series against the Hawks and Sixers. Issues could arise if Mobley ghosting Josh causes him to lose faith in his jumper, but given how well the Knicks have adapted to their previous matchups, I have faith that they won’t have any problems doing so in this series either.

Who is the Knicks’ X-Factor?

Prez: Mike Brown. He’ll be faced with a dramatically different look this series, one more cued into the Knicks’ theoretical weaknesses. He’ll also be facing a team with two very distinct, very glaring weaknesses (back court defense and rebounding). It’ll be up to him to jiu jitsu however the Cavs play Hart/KAT, and up to him to twist the knife when something works on offense.

Stacy: Mitchell Robinson, though my answer parallels Prez. The Knicks are capable of attacking the Cavs on the glass and may need to do so if Spida and Harden allow them to win the shot quality battle. I’ll say it again: the Knicks have a guy coming off the bench who absolutely dominated this Cavs team in the playoffs, so I think the answer has to be him. 

Alex: Jalen Brunson. Not like that’s some bold prediction or something, but if he’s as on as he has been lately, what the hell are Mitchell or Harden going to do to stop that on defense? And what’s the solution, sitting one of your max contract backcourt guys for Dennis Schroder? 

Luca: Karl-Anthony Towns. After dicing up the Hawks and Sixers, KAT has seven straight games of six-plus assists, and he’s been the catalyst to unlocking a different level for the Knicks’ offense. He faces a more difficult matchup this series against Allen and Mobley, but against each he still has advantages. It will also be important for KAT to continue feasting on the glass and help the Knicks dominate the possession battle, and he should do just that.

Which lineup will be most effective against the Cavs?

Prez: The Knicks’ twin tower lineup with both Mitch and KAT.

Shwin: Double big.

Stacy: Double big. 

Alex: I’d be betraying my big man-loving roots if I didn’t say double big.

Over/under 5.5 game series?

Prez: Under

Shwin: Over

Stacy: Under

Alex: Under

Luca: Over