The New York Knicks couldn’t beat a top team in the league again, as a slow second half saw their double-digit lead squandered as they fell to the Cleveland

The Knicks came out hot and with 3:58 seconds left in the first half they took a 15-point lead. Historically, this is a death sentence for any opponent. Coming into the game, they were 71-0 in the last 71 games in which they took a 15-point, or more, lead.

Donovan Mitchell paced Cleveland with 27 points, six rebounds, and five assists, while Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland, and Evan Mobley combined for 51 points in the statement victory.

Here are the remaining schedules for the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks.

The Cavaliers showed the NBA that even after their late-season slide they still are one of the two teams to beat in the Eastern Conference.

The Knicks need to prove they can win. In order to advance to their first NBA Finals since 1999, the Knicks will need to topple both the Celtics and the Cavaliers, unless those squads somehow lose in the first or second round to a much weaker team.

The Arizona Republic reaches the final couple weeks of its NBA power rankings with the Celtics making a push at the top spot.

The New York Knicks are missing JB in more ways than one. The continued loss of captain Jalen Brunson has been grating as is but the Knicks have also worked thr