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The New York Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 106-95 in Game 5 of their first-round series on Wednesday night. In doing so, the Knicks won the series 4-1 and advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2013.
New York pulled off a series win behind strong plays from star point guard Jalen Brunson and elite team defense. The win had success-starved Knicks fans going wild on Twitter, celebrating the rare accomplishment for the Knicks:
“Brunson and Hart changed the culture of this team. Tough,” one fan said.
“WE OWN THE POVERTY CITY OF CLEVLAND,” another said.
Here are some more of the top fan reactions to New York's first-round series win against Cleveland:
New York Knicks coast to Game 5 win over Cleveland
The New York Knicks never trailed in their Game 5 win over Cleveland, leading by as many as 18 points. This came despite the game being played in Cleveland and being a must-win game for the Cavs.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 23 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals on 36.4% shooting. Knicks wing RJ Barrett added 21 points, four rebounds and four assists on 53.8% shooting.
Meanwhile, Cleveland was led by star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell, who finished with 28 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals on 42.3% shooting. Cavs star point guard Darius Garland added 21 points, two rebounds and four assists on 53.8% shooting.
The Knicks were able to coast to their Game 5 win despite star forward Julius Randle missing the second half after aggravating his left ankle injury. The win marked New York’s second road win in the series.
Brunson led the Knicks all series long, averaging 24.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.2 steals per game on 43.7% shooting. This comes after New York faced criticism for signing him to a four-year, $104 million contract last offseason. Most would agree that Brunson has now validated the Knicks’ decision and then some.
Brunson and the fifth-seeded Knicks will now face the winner of the Miami Heat versus Milwaukee Bucks in Round 2.
Also read: NBA Injury Report: Julius Randle hurts his left ankle and heads to the locker room in Game 5
Guess the Lakers players!
