Cavaliers Wary of Knicks, Celtics in Playoffs

Cleveland's fourth-place standing in the East puts them at risk of facing tough matchups against division rivals

Mar. 29, 2026 at 11:50am

The Cleveland Cavaliers currently sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a 46-28 record, but they may be hoping to avoid two particular teams in the playoffs - the third-place New York Knicks and the second-place Boston Celtics. The Knicks have given the Cavaliers trouble this season, going 2-1 against them, while the Celtics swept the season series 3-0. Both teams are also playing well down the stretch, making them potentially dangerous playoff opponents for the Cavaliers.

Why it matters

The Cavaliers have a 4.5 game lead over the fifth-place Toronto Raptors, but are still jockeying for playoff positioning. Avoiding the Knicks and Celtics, two of the East's top teams, could be crucial for the Cavaliers' postseason hopes.

The details

The Knicks have outperformed the Cavaliers in several key statistical categories this season, including rebounds per game and 3-point shooting percentage. The Celtics, led by All-Star Jaylen Brown, have also proven to be a tough matchup for Cleveland, sweeping the season series. Both the Knicks and Celtics play in raucous home environments that could give them an advantage in a playoff series against the Cavaliers.

  • The Cavaliers have 8 games remaining in the regular season.
  • The Cavaliers lost to the Knicks twice this season, but won one game at home on February 24.
  • The Celtics swept the Cavaliers 3-0 in the regular season, including a 109-98 win in Cleveland on March 8.

The players

New York Knicks

The Knicks currently sit two games ahead of the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference standings and have given the Cavs fits this season, going 2-1 against them.

Boston Celtics

The Celtics are in second place in the East and have swept the season series against the Cavaliers 3-0, including a 109-98 win in Cleveland on March 8.

Jaylen Brown

The Celtics' leading scorer, averaging 28.6 points per game, and a key reason why Boston has had success against the Cavaliers this season.

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What’s next

With just 8 games left in the regular season, the Cavaliers will be closely monitoring the standings and hoping to avoid a first-round matchup with the surging Knicks or Celtics.

The takeaway

The Cavaliers' fourth-place standing in the East puts them at risk of facing tough playoff matchups against division rivals the Knicks and Celtics, who have both had success against Cleveland this season and are playing well down the stretch.