NBA playoffs replay: Cavs drop Game 3 vs. Knicks as New York responds to Game 2 loss

The first-round NBA playoff series between the Cavaliers and New York Knicks shifted to the Big Apple, and Cleveland transformed into a discombobulated turnover machine in a hostile environment.

The Cavs lost 99-79 to the Knicks on Friday night at Madison Square Garden, falling behind 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

Shooting 31 of 80 from the field (38.8 %), including 7 of 33 on 3-pointers (21.2%), and committing 21 turnovers isn't a recipe for success.

The Cavs can attest to it after an embarrassing defeat. The Knicks aren't complaining, though. They scored 28 points off turnovers and rolled to a blowout victory.

All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with 22 points and compiled seven rebounds, five assists and two steals, but he also had a team-high six turnovers. Caris LeVert scored 17 points, and Darius Garland and Evan Mobley added 10 points apiece.

Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett led the Knicks with 21 and 19 points, respectively.

The Cavs responded to their Game 1 loss, in which the Knicks out-muscled them for 17 offensive rebounds and the defeat was referred to as a "wake-up call," with a blowout win led by Darius Garland and Caris LeVert in Game 2 to even the series 1-1 heading into Game 3.

The Cavs seemed to struggle with the physicality of playoff basketball in the series opener but responded in a big way in Game 2 Tuesday night, cruising to double-digit win and reversing many of the trends with which they had struggled against the Knicks this season and in Game 1.

But in Game 3, the Cavs had a nightmare of a first half on the offensive end of the floor. And the mere 32 points they scored through two quarters haunted them along with their turnovers.

The Cavs had 14 turnovers in Game 1, 18 in Game 2 and 21 in Game 3. They'll need to reverse the trend to get back on track in this series. Game 4 is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday in New York.

Here's how Game 3 unfolded throughout Friday night with our live updates and analysis.

Knicks go ahead by 27 points, their largest Game 3 lead vs. Cavs

3:10, fourth quarter: Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein split a pair of free throws, and New York took a 97-70 lead. It's a blowout in the Garden.

3:41, fourth quarter. The Knicks built a 96-70 lead with Jalen Brunson's jump shot. This is downright ugly for the Cavs.

7:32, fourth quarter: Jarrett Allen couldn't handle a bounce pass from Donovan Mitchell, and Josh Hart recorded a steal for the Knicks.

Then in transition, Immanuel Quickley lobbed a pass to Obi Toppin for an alley-oop. Darius Garland fouled Toppin, who made the free throw. The Knicks went ahead 82-62.

The sequence encapsulated the night for the Cavs. Their self-inflicted miscues piled up, and the Knicks repeatedly made them pay.

Cavs point guard Darius Garland hurts left ankle in a bizarre way

11:05, fourth quarter: Darius Garland accidentally stepped on a cameraman on the baseline and immediately grabbed his left ankle. Garland exited the game and was examined by Cavs medical personnel on the sideline.

With 9:19 remaining, Garland returned to the action. He made a 3-pointer with 9:02 left, and the Cavs trailed 77-62.

Knicks lead Cavs 69-55 at end of third quarter of Game 3

The Knicks ended the third quarter on an 8-0 run, putting the Cavs in a 14-point hole entering the fourth quarter.

The Cavs' 55 points through three quarters tied for the third-fewest points in through three quarters this season, according to the ABC telecast.

This followed the Cavs trailing by 13 points at halftime.

RJ Barrett (19 points), Jalen Brunson (14 points) and Julius Randle (11 points) have led the Knicks' offense.

Donovan Mitchell (20 points) and Caris LeVert (11 points) were the only Cavs players in double-digit scoring through three quarters.

Donovan Mitchell, Caris LeVert heat up for Cavs in third quarter vs. Knicks

4:09, third quarter: Donovan Mitchell made a 3-pointer to trim the Knicks' advantage to 62-53. He also registered a three-point play with a layup and a free throw with 5:33 left in the third quarter.

4:50, third quarter: Caris LeVert made his third 3-pointer of the third quarter. After going scoreless in the first half, he has 11 points.

Caris LeVert makes back-to-back 3-pointers after going scoreless in the first half of Game 3 between Cavs vs. Knicks

8:23, third quarter: Caris LeVert didn't score until his successful 3-pointer here. On the next possession, he made another 3-pointer, cutting the Cavs' deficit to 53-42 with 7:43 left in the third quarter.

Unfortunately for the Cavs, the Knicks answered with All-Star power forward Julius Randle's 3-pointer with 7:12 left in the third quarter, extending New York's lead to 14 points.

Knicks' Quentin Grimes questionable to return with shoulder injury

Start of second half: Knicks guard Quentin Grimes has a right shoulder contusion and is questionable to return to Game 3, ABC's Lisa Salters said on the network's telecast.

Grimes did not start the third quarter. In the first half, he had two points in 13 minutes.

Cavs trail Knicks 45-32 at halftime in Game 3

Halftime: The Cavs shot poorly and failed to take care of the ball on a consistent basis in the first half, contributing to them falling behind 45-32 at halftime.

The Cavs scored their fewest points in the first half in the franchise's last 15 playoffs (a period spanning 109 games), according to ABC's telecast.

The Cavs shot 13 of 42 from the field (31%), including just 2 of 19 on 3-pointers (10.5%), in the first half. They had 12 turnovers, helping the Knicks produce 18 points off turnovers through two quarters.

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with 12 points in the first half. RJ Barrett paced the Knicks with 14 points.

The Knicks shot 19 of 45 from the field (42.2%), including 4 of 19 (21.1%) on 3-pointers. That's not great, but their seven turnovers were five fewer than what the Cavs had. The Cavs scored just three points off turnovers before halftime.

3:43, second quarter: Jalen Brunson recorded a steal while guarding Donovan Mitchell and converted with a slam dunk to give the Knicks a 38-27 lead. The Cavs have 11 turnovers compared with seven for the Knicks.

New York Knicks fans chant 'air ball' when Cavs All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell misses from long range

4:51, second quarter: New York native Donovan Mitchell air balled a 3-pointer, and the fans at Madison Square Garden let him know by chanting about it. Then Jalen Brunson made a layup to give the Knicks a 34-27 lead with 4:33 left in the first half.

Turnovers hurting Cavs in first half in Game 3 vs. Knicks

6:44, second quarter: The Cavs have been sloppy and have nine turnovers. The Knicks have six. The Cavs have scored just two points off turnovers. The Knicks have been opportunistic with 11 points off turnovers.

Isaac Okoro drops from starting lineup to ninth in the Cavs' rotation vs. Knicks in Game 3

11:05, second quarter: Isaac Okoro became the ninth Cavs player to enter the game when he substituted for Danny Green. Okoro missed the final six games of the regular season with a left knee injury, but he returned to action for the playoffs and started Game 1 and Game 2.

Okoro quickly scored five points. He made a pair of free throws with 9:27 left and a 3-pointer with 8:59 remaining in the second quarter.

And with 7:52 left in the first half, Okoro drew a charging foul against a driving Josh Hart.

Cavs and Knicks were tied 17-17 at the end of the first quarter in Game 3 at Madison Square Garden

End first quarter: The Cavs trailed by five points, but All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell made a 3-pointer with 1:43 left and a driving layup with 50 seconds remaining in the opening quarter. Mitchell's mini-run led to the score being tied 17-17 at the end of the first quarter.

Entering the second quarter, Mitchell led the Cavs with nine points, and RJ Barrett led the Knicks with 10 points.

Danny Green, Ricky Rubio Cavs' next players off bench after Cedi Osman

3:05, first quarter: Ricky Rubio and Danny Green came off the Cavs' bench after Cedi Osman checked into the game a couple minutes earlier. Rubio immediately picked up a foul while guarding RJ Barrett with 2:56 remaining in the opening quarter.

With Caris LeVert starting in Game 3, Cedi Osman is first Cavs player off the bench vs. Knicks

5:13, first quarter: Cedi Osman became the Cavs' sixth man, substituting for Caris LeVert. A Columbus native, LeVert had been in the sixth-man role, but coming off a 24-point performance in Game 2, he replaced small forward Isaac Okoro in the starting lineup for Game 3.

6:09, first quarter: Both teams started cold from 3-point range, combining to shoot 1 of 13 to begin the game (Cavs 0 of 6 and Knicks 1 of 7). Inserted into the starting lineup for Game 3, Caris LeVert drew a foul from Quentin Grimes but proved to be cold from the free-throw line. He missed both foul shots, and the Cavs trailed 9-8.

Taking over: Why Cavs star Darius Garland had 'different look in his eye' for Game 2 blowout vs. Knicks

Just what was needed: Caris LeVert is the Cavs' 'X factor' off the bench in playoffs

'My little man': Evan Mobley rebounds for Cavs and looks to maintain momentum vs. Knicks

Here is some pregame information.

3-points: Cavs vs. Knicks things to watch: Road test, Jarrett Allen-Julius Randle clash, Danny Green

Cavs will start Caris LeVert instead of Isaac Okoro in Game 3 vs. Knicks

The Cavaliers announced Caris LeVert will be elevated from his usual sixth-man role to start Game 3 in place of small forward Isaac Okoro.

The move is not surprising, considering how Game 2 unfolded. Okoro started but played just three minutes and did not score. LeVert gave the Cavs 24 points off the bench.

More on Caris LeVert: Columbus native is the Cavs' 'X factor' in playoffs

Will Cedi Osman play for the Cavs in Game 3 vs. Knicks?

Cavs backup forward Cedi Osman entered Friday listed as questionable to play because of a sprained left ankle.

However, the Cavs labeled Osman available for Game 3 shortly before tipoff.

Cavs vs. Knicks first-round NBA playoffs schedule

• Game 4: Sunday, April 23, Cavaliers at Knicks, Madison Square Garden, 1 p.m. ET, ABC

• Game 5: Wednesday, April 26, Knicks at Cavaliers, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (time, channel TBA)

• Game 6: Friday, April 28, Cavaliers at Knicks, Madison Square Garden (time, channel TBA)*

• Game 7: Sunday, April 30, Knicks at Cavaliers, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (time, channel TBA)** if necessary

How to watch Game 3 of Cavs vs. Knicks playoff series on TV

Game 3 between the Cavs and Knicks will be televised on ABC and Bally Sports Ohio.

How can I listen to Cavs vs. the Knicks on the radio?

The game will air locally on 1100-AM (WTAM) and 100.7-FM (WMMS).

It will also be broadcast on these stations:

• Akron - WAKR 1590 AM

• Akron - WAKR 93.5 FM

• Ashtabula - WZOO 102.5 FM

• Canton - WHBC 1480 AM

• Celina - WCSM 1350 AM

• Celina - WCSM 96.7 FM

• Cleveland - WTAM 1100 AM

• Cleveland - WMMS 100.7 FM

• Cleveland - WTAM 106.9 FM

• Columbus - WJYD 107.1 FM

• Dover / New Philadelphia - WJER 100.9 FM

• Dover / New Philadelphia - WJER 1450 AM

• Fostoria - WFOB 105.7 FM

• Fostoria - WFOB 1430 AM

• Lima - WIMA 1150 AM

• Lorain / Elyria - WEOL 930 AM

• Lorain / Elyria - WEOL 100.3 FM

• Lorain - SPANISH - WNZN 89.1 FM

• Mansfield - WRGM 1440 AM

• Mansfield - WRGM 106.7 FM

• Marietta - WMOA 1490 AM

• Marietta - WMOA 101.3 FM

• Norwalk - WLKR 95.3 FM

• Painesville - WABQ 1460 AM

• St Mary, WV - WJAW 630 AM

• St Mary, WV - WJAW 92.9 FM

• Painesville - WABQ 1460 AM

• Sandusky - WLEC 1450 AM

• Sandusky - WLEC 93.5 FM

• Wooster - WQKT 104.5 FM

• Youngstown - WNIO 1390 AM

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Cavs blown out by New York Knicks in Game 3, 99-79