Andre Drummond, a native of Westchester County who will be a free agent this summer, beat the Knicks 33 points and 23 rebounds on Friday night, but it was former Knick Damyean Dotson who knocked out the Cavaliers.
Dotson’s seven points in the 2:40 final sent the Knicks to their fifth straight loss in a 106-103 thriller at Rocket Mortgage Arena in Cleveland.
Dotson’s late growth ruined an extraordinary performance by Knicks’ starting striker Immanuel Quickley, who scored 23 points on the bench.
RJ Barrett committed two costly turnovers in the last 1:19 that ruined his solid output.
Barrett struck a 20-foot desperation before the clock turned to bring the Knicks 98-97 at 1:33. But then Barrett tried to dribble between his legs and jumped the ball from the back of his leg, turning it around at the worst, with 1:19 left.
This led to a clear foul on Dotson, who sank two free throws. The Knights retained possession and Dotson drove for a stretch. With 2:40 left, Dotson hit a big 3 points over Quickley to give the Cavs a five-point lead.
At four, Barrett turned the ball over with 20 seconds left to freeze it for Cleveland.
Drummond scored 20 points and scored 14 rebounds in the first half. Seven of his recoveries were on the offensive window. No Cavalier in the last 20 years has posted half 20 and 14.
The Mount Vernon native could be on the move this season. The Knights may be willing to let the former Connecticut star leave now, after they caught former Nets center Jarrett Allen in the four-team James Harden deal.
Cleveland gained a 12-point lead in a wild third quarter, but Quickley helped lead another charge. He hit a 3-pointer, then a float. Julius Randle (28 points, six assists) scored the comeback that tied the score at 80 after three.
The Knicks took a 16-0 lead to take an 84-80 lead early in the fourth quarter, but failed to hold it.
Quickley came off the bench spectacularly, exploding for 12 points in 11 minutes with two assists in the first half. Quickley shot 5-for-8 from the field, making two triples in the first half.
Quickley, who was selected in the 25th round of the first round in November, found wrinkles in the Cavaliers’ defense and brought the Knicks into a five-point lead, playing mostly with the Quickley Quintet killed the Cavaliers in the pre-season. The only difference of the young band of five men was Reggie Bullock, instead of Barrett.
In a wonderful moment, rookie Obi Toppin, in the second game behind a three-week absence due to a calf strain, stole a pass and fed Quickley for a 3-pointer.
In the next possession, Quickley wove inside and raised an alley-oop lob for a Mitchell Robinson work and a 43-39 lead.
Robinson could not compete with Drummond’s muscle, then was injured. Robinson fell awkwardly after missing a setback. Coach Tom Thibodeau let him run up and down the field for two goods before snatching the young center and going to the locker room. Robinson had his ankle engraved at the break and came out for the third trimester, looking below 100%.