The Latest Breaking News from Julius Randle

Cleveland desperately needed to win Game 2 before heading to New York this weekend, and its league-best defense stepped up from tip-off.

CLEVELAND — A disastrous quarter for the Knicks ended with an energized crowd chanting together, “New York sucks, New York sucks.”

Lakers-Grizzlies might be the best of the bunch.

NEW YORK — It’s the most compelling playoff series in the Eastern Conference, and Reggie Miller isn’t buying the betting odds that show the Knicks as a healthy underdog against Cleveland.

Here’s a final look at how all 30 teams stacked up this season before the play-in tournament starts.

NEW YORK — It’s all set.

In the midst of the most impressive season the Knicks have had in a decade, Julius Randle, New York’s leading scorer and likely All-NBA forward, not only hit an impossible game-winning jumper against rival Miami in early March. He also plopped down a career-best 57 points on March 20 against…

NEW YORK — The Knicks are cautious, refusing to look ahead even at the simplest future scenarios, instead focusing on the task in front of them. And now, with Sunday night’s 118-109 win over the Washington Wizards, that future is a reality as they clinched a playoff spot.

CLEVELAND — If this was a preview of a first-round playoff matchup, expect a mountain of points and a thrilling battle of guards.