The New York Knicks took the floor against the Cleveland Cavaliers in one of the most anticipated NBA fixtures on Christmas Day.
Both teams put on a show that lived up to the hype, delivering a game fans won’t forget anytime soon.
In the end, it was the Knicks who edged out a narrow 126-124 victory over the Cavaliers, holding their nerve down the stretch to claim an impressive win.
The Knicks sealed this result with an outstanding fourth quarter, outscoring Cleveland 42-28 in a strong finish that turned the game in their favour.
Tyler Kolek steps up in a big way for the New York Knicks
Jalen Brunson delivered again for the Knicks, finishing with 34 points, a rebound, and four assists.
Tyler Kolek also provided a boost off the bench, adding 16 points, three rebounds, and nine assists in just 25 minutes of action.
But it was Kolek’s defensive play that stood out. His block on Donovan Mitchell in the fourth quarter came at a crucial moment.
The block came with just under two minutes to play, with Cleveland up by one point.
Kolek had time to react because Mitchell slowed down for what could have been a highlight dunk instead of taking the easier layup. That gave Kolek enough of an opening to make the stop.
Tyler Kolek on his phenomenal block against Donovan Mitchell
After the game, Kolek was asked about his game-turning block, and he took a subtle shot at Mitchell for attempting a dunk.
“Honestly, If he ran and did a regular layup, I wouldn’t have caught up to him; he wanted to do some windmill s___, he slowed down, he was trying to do something crazy,” Kolek said after the game.
Kolek’s read on the play turned it into an awkward moment for Mitchell. While fans usually love seeing highlight dunks in big moments, they don’t hit the same when they don’t go in.
This one definitely stood out for all the wrong reasons for Mitchell as Cleveland fell short by two points.
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