Struggling Cavaliers hope to get well versus Knicks (Oct 29, 2017)

CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Cavaliers aren't concerned by their slow start and porous defense.

The New York Knicks are thrilled to be headed to Cleveland having won their first game.

The Cavs (3-3) haven't lost to New York since Oct. 30, 2014 -- LeBron James' first game back with the franchise that drafted him -- a span that covers 10 games.

But Cleveland shouldn't get too comfortable by the sight of the Knicks, who visit Quicken Loans Arena on Sunday night. The Cavs had their 17-game winning streak over the Orlando Magic snapped last week on a night where some really ugly bad habits surfaced and haven't gone away since.

The Cavs were blown out Saturday by the New Orleans Pelicans 123-101 for their third loss in four games. All four opponents have scored at least 112 points in that stretch, bombing the Cavs with 3s and burned them in transition.

Coinciding with all of this has been the absence of point guard Derrick Rose, who's been out with a sprained left ankle. Rose is not a great defender, but with him out coach Tyronn Lue has had to jumble his lineup, which led to miscommunication and missed assignments on defense that weren't there when Rose was playing and the Cavs won their first two games.

"A lot of this, if we're missing 3s and missing shots offensively and turning the basketball over, then we can't get back in transition," Lue said in New Orleans. "So, better offense helps with our defense. Because if we're scoring, then we can get back and get set. We just gotta be better.

"Teams are, I seen (New Orleans coach) Alvin Gentry telling 'em run, run, run, play with pace. We've gotta be able to get back, get matched and try to play the same speed that everybody else is playing with."

The Pelicans shot 53.3 percent and drained 13 3-pointers. The Cavs are allowing the most 3s in the NBA.

Rose was supposed to play Saturday but missed his fourth straight game because of a sprained ankle that's still sore. Lue didn't know if Rose would play against the Knicks, his former team.

The Cavs are also without point guard Isaiah Thomas, who's supposed to be out until January with a hip injury. James has played point guard with Rose out.

"We're out two starting point guards, so, I'm not overlooking what's going on," James said.

The Knicks (1-3) pounded one of the teams that have beaten the Cavs and rained 3s upon them during this ugly stretch when they beat the Brooklyn Nets 107-86 on Friday.

Whereas Cleveland is struggling because injuries at the point guard position, New York was thrilled with the play of rookie Frank Ntilikina, who contributed nine points with five assists off the Knicks' bench in his Madison Square Garden debut.

"For a young kid, 19 years old, you don't see that bright-eyed 'oh my gosh, I'm in the Garden,' " Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said. "He just plays. He's got the great feel for the game. He knows what to do. He's not rushed. He just takes his time."

Ntilikina is 6-5. He's averaging only 4.5 points for the season, but he's a reason for excitement for the Knicks as they attempt a rebuild. Kristaps Porzingis is their top player, averaging 26.5 points and 7.8 boards in his second season.

"It was important to get the first one and especially at home," Porzingis said. "It's one more game. Now we've seen what we're capable of when we play good defense, when we play tough -- we know what we're capable of.

"Brooklyn was averaging 120 points coming into this game and we kept them to 87. So that just shows with defense we're going to be able to win games."