Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks can advance to the 2026 NBA Finals by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight on ESPN.
We’re bringing you the best of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the meaningful moments, performances, observations, news, notes and highlights from Monday’s action.
Tonight, the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers tip off Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals (8 ET, ESPN), with the Knicks looking to sweep and advance to their first NBA Finals since 1999.
- Last night’s live blog: Spurs defeat Thunder, even series at 2-2
- 2026 NBA Playoffs Hub
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What we know about Monday’s game:
- The Knicks have won 10 straight Playoff games, earning a positive point differential of +225.
- This is the largest cumulative margin of victory over 10 games in NBA history, regular season or Playoffs.
- The Cavaliers are 23-24 all-time in elimination games; the Knicks are 45-42.
- No team has ever overcome a 3-0 deficit in the NBA Playoffs, with the 2023 Boston Celtics the last team to force a Game 7.
MAY 25, 2026 / 6:00 ET
Starting Lineups: Knicks-Cavaliers, Game 4
Evan Mobley and the Cleveland Cavaliers look to keep their season alive tonight against the New York Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
New York:
- PG Jalen Brunson
- Brunson’s skill and savvy are consistently impressive. No one carries more craft into the paint — every step, every movement is precise and poised. At 6’2”, he shows up every night while running the third-highest usage rate in the Playoffs (min. 250 minutes).
- SG Josh Hart
- Hart is making 1.5 of his 4.8 3PA (30.2%) in his Playoffs run — below his career average of 34.1%, but good enough to keep opposing defenses largely honest.
- SF Mikal Bridges
- Watch Bridges in transition in Game 4. “His feel is unbelievable,” Coach Mike Brown said of the Villanova product’s knack for getting loose in the open floor. “He’s doing that on his own. He’s picking and choosing when to go.”
- PF OG Anunoby
- Anunoby is shooting 58.9/50.9/83.6 from the field in the Playoffs, knocking down 2.5 of his 4.8 3PA per game.
- C Karl-Anthony Towns
- The Big KAT has turned into a playmaker. New York is 9-0 when he dishes out five or more assists during this Playoffs.
Cleveland:
- PG James Harden
- Will The Beard rise up? Harden has averaged 21.5 ppg, 6.4 reb and 5.4 ast over 25 career elimination games.
- SG Donovan Mitchell
- Mitchell went back to the locker room in Game 3, although he later returned. He’s lacked some of his trademark explosiveness in this series, choosing his spots more than normal. The Cavs may need a heroic performance from Spida.
- SF Dean Wade
- Wade has defended Brunson well in this series, holding him to 9 pts on 4-of-9 shooting while not committing a shooting foul against the Knicks’ point guard.
- PF Evan Mobley
- Can Mobley be the best player in this series for a game? He led the Cavaliers in scoring in Game 3 with 24 pts; his Game 4 against Detroit, where he had five blocks and three steals, was a defensive gem. But the Cavs are better offensively with him off the floor in this Playoffs, although their defense suffers. His inability to dominate smaller defenders is limiting for Cleveland.
- C Jarrett Allen
- Allen is a team-low -44 in this series — one point better than Donovan Mitchell. The team has been close to statistically identical with him on or off the floor.
MAY 25, 2026 / 5:30 ET
Monday’s injury report
No players are listed on this evening’s injury report.
