Jalen Brunson scored 31 points as the defending champion New York Knicks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 109–97 on Saturday, 7 November 2026, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland — the first meeting since the Knicks swept last season’s Eastern Conference finals.
Brunson shot 12 of 25 from the field, including 3 of 7 from three-point range, and added nine assists and six rebounds. He scored 18 straight Knicks points in the second quarter, including a four-point play, turning a narrow Cleveland lead into a 63–53 half-time advantage.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 29 points and 13 rebounds for New York, shooting 11 of 21 with five offensive rebounds. OG Anunoby added 15 points.
Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 37 points, but it was not enough to stop the Knicks from recording their fifth straight win over the Cavaliers dating back to the playoff sweep.
The Knicks, now 5–4, are above .500 for the first time this season and have their first three-game winning streak of the season. That follows a difficult start in which they became the first defending champion in 15 years to drop their first three games.
New York have now won seven of eight against Cleveland since the start of last season. The Knicks next host the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday, while the Cavaliers visit the Charlotte Hornets on Monday.
It was another big weekend for the NBA, from Luka Doncic’s 53-point night for the Lakers to LeBron James being held to 8 points as the Cavaliers crushed the 76ers. The defending champions are finding their rhythm.
Bhudev Bhagaliya is an experienced and senior journalist who has carved a distinct niche for himself in the world of Hindi journalism through his profound understanding and precise writing style. With over two decades of experience in the field of journalism, he has held key responsibilities at Dainik Hindustan for 12 years and at Amar Ujala for one year. Currently, he serves as the Content Editor for the Jagrook Youth News newspaper and portal, where he plays a crucial role in ensuring the quality and credibility of the news content. Bhudev Bhagaliya consistently writes about issues that help raise awareness within society and among the younger generation.