The defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers have handed the New York Knicks their two worst losses of the 2016-17 NBA regular season. The first was forgivable, as New York was playing its first game with its new starting lineup—on the road in the season opener, no less.
The second time around, however, the Knicks were blown out at Madison Square Garden—a learning experience that proved how valuable Derrick Rose is to New York’s season.
Rose missed Wednesday’s game against Cleveland after suffering a back injury on Tuesday against the Miami Heat. He missed the final 18 minutes of game time against the Heat with back spasms.