Final Score: Cavs drop first game of season in 95-86 loss to Knicks

The Cleveland Cavaliers are going to want this one back.

On Tuesday night, the Cavs’ undefeated start to the season came to a clanking halt in a 95-86 loss to the New York Knicks at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland came into Tuesday night averaging the third-most points per game in the league and third in field goal percentage at 51.3%.

Against the Knicks, the Cavs finished shooting 36.4% from the field and 21.9% from — both season lows. Only Andre Drummond and JaVale McGee shot above 50% on the night.

Drummond finished with 18 points and 17 rebounds. Collin Sexton led the Cavs with 20 points on 6-17 shooting and Darius Garland added 17 points and 6 assists.

Cleveland fell behind early in this game, trailing by 14 points after the first quarter and looking like it was on the verge of being blown out. But then Cavs outscored the Knicks by seven in the second quarter and drew even in the third. They were in large part able to take advantage of 27 Knicks turnovers, turning the turnovers into 27 points.

In the fourth quarter, though, the Cavs had their best shooting quarter (50% overall), but the Knicks were still better and made four three-pointers vs. just two for the Cavs. Had Cleveland made some of the open looks it had it earlier in the game and not found itself in a hole late, it might still be undefeated.

Up next: Starting on Thursday — aka New Year’s Eve — the Cavs kick off of a six-game, 13-day road trip that runs through Jan. 9. The first game is in Indianapolis against the Pacers and it tips off at 3 p.m.