What happened

Landry Shamet knocked down a shot to push the New York Knicks ahead by 20 points over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4, quieting a home crowd that had hoped to see its team defend its court. The bucket capped a dominant New York stretch on the road in Cleveland.

Central to the surge was a 20-0 New York run in the first half — one of the largest unanswered playoff runs in the play-by-play era. The same Landry Shamet praised for his pro approach in Game 3 again delivered in a high-leverage spot.

Why it matters

A 20-point road lead in Game 4 swings series control decisively toward the Knicks and silences a Cleveland team trying to hold serve at home. The blowout margin puts New York in position to close out the series.

The stakes stretch beyond this game. A series win would push the Knicks toward their first NBA Finals berth since 1999.

What to watch next

The immediate question is whether Cleveland can mount a second-half response or whether New York finishes the job and closes out the series. The next milestone is whether the Knicks advance to the Finals.