The Eastern Conference Finals open Tuesday, May 19, at Madison Square Garden in New York, where the Cleveland Cavaliers travel to face the New York Knicks in Game 1.
The official injury report lists Larry Nance Jr. as questionable for Cleveland due to illness, while New York lists OG Anunoby as probable with a right hamstring strain.
Anunoby’s availability remains a key factor for the Knicks given his two-way impact, as he is averaging 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.9 steals per game in the 2026 playoffs on elite efficiency.
For Cleveland, the potential absence of Nance Jr. would slightly narrow frontcourt depth behind Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen in a series that demands defensive versatility.
The Cavaliers enter the matchup led by Donovan Mitchell’s 25.6 points per game and James Harden’s 20.1 points and 6.2 assists per game, forming a high-usage backcourt responsible for most half-court creation.
New York counters with Jalen Brunson’s 27.4 points and 6.1 assists per game, supported by Karl-Anthony Towns’ 17.4 points and 10.0 rebounds and a supporting cast built around spacing and defensive switching.
The Cavaliers reached this stage after a hard seven-game series against Detroit, including a 125-94 win in Game 7 on Sunday before turning their attention to New York.
New York enters Game 1 with momentum of its own after a four-game sweep of Philadelphia.
The regular-season series also gives Tuesday’s matchup an edge. The Knicks won the first two meetings, but Cleveland won the most recent one, a 109-94 home victory on February 24.
