The New York Knicks emerged from Wednesday night's season-opening contest with the Cleveland Cavaliers with a 119-111 victory at Madison Square Garden. This was a big early-season test for the Knicks, and coming out on the winning side of it proves one very important thing: that this Knicks next team is far from all hype, and they're exactly the kind of top-level championship contender they've been made out to be.
New York may have advanced further in the playoffs this past season, but Cleveland undoubtedly had the better regular season last year. Putting up 64 wins in the regular season is by no means an easy accomplishment, and the Cavs looked to be coming into this season even stronger after adding key role players like Lonzo Ball and Larry Nance Junior.