Knicks get Cavalier pass, but home opener can’t be this ugly: The NBA may not have done the Knicks any favors by serving them up to the Cavaliers Tuesday night, on a night when Cleveland was feeling awfully damn good about itself. Up went a banner, the first such to commemorate a championship in this town in 52 years. Down went the Knicks. Hard. “Tough business,” the new coach, Jeff Hornacek, said. -- New York Post
Joakim Noah mocks Cleveland after congratulating Cavs fans: The only defiance from the Knicks on Tuesday came before their 117-88 season-opening loss — just as the Cavaliers began their ring ceremony. Joakim Noah, whose disdain for the Cavaliers is well-documented, needed to be told to leave the court as he shot free throws while the lights dimmed for the ceremony and a video montage rolled. -- New York Post
Knicks kick off another new era with another humiliation: The Cavaliers ran rings around the Knicks. Derrick Rose was rusty, Carmelo Anthony was sloppy, Kristaps Porzingis looked far from a budding superstar and Courtney Lee and Joakim Noah were shut out. No, the Knicks’ new glittering starting five didn’t sparkle and the bench was a liability. -- New York Post
Derrick Rose and Knicks look far from ‘Super Team’ after being embarrassed by Cavaliers: This city finally got to raise a championship banner on Tuesday, a ceremony that was 52 years in the making. LeBron James got another ring, saluted the crowd and then began his quest for a repeat. These are indeed special days for Cleveland. (For the record, that is the first time in history that sentence has ever been written.) The Cavs are defending champions and right next door the Cleveland Indians are in the World Series looking to end their own championship drought. -- New York Daily News
Knicks, Cavaliers do not make statement during national anthem: After a lot of talk over the last month about national anthem statements, the Knicks and Cavs mostly stood in a standard line before Tuesday night's season opener — with only a few Knicks, including Joakim Noah, draping their arms over a teammate. With Commissioner Adam Silver in attendance, LeBron James and the defending champs, who just wrapped up their ring ceremony, all followed standard anthem protocol as the crowd led a rendition of the anthem. Same with Carmelo Anthony, who recently said he's "past the gestures." -- New York Daily News
LeBron James suggests J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert had chip on shoulder after Knicks traded them to Cavaliers: LeBron James wasn't naming names but he seemed to be referring to J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert when he noted that the Cavs' championship was vindication for several of his teammates who were discarded by other organizations. "We've got a few guys that have chips on their shoulders," James said following the Cavs 117-88 win over the Knicks on Tuesday. -- New York Daily News
Knicks blown out by Cavaliers, 117-88, in opener as LeBron James records triple-double: The Knicks were just there on opening night. Compliant to Cleveland’s big night. There was a championship ring ceremony, a tearful LeBron James, a party outside the arena for the start of the World Series next door. Then there was the Knicks, who put up the resistance of a wet paper bag. “We got our asses kicked,” Joakim Noah said. -- New York Daily News
Knicks no match for Cavaliers, LeBron James on opening night: The Knicks had a chance in front of a loud crowd and a national television audience to silence the fans and prove they could compete with the NBA champs. But the more things change for the Knicks the more they stay the same. The veterans team president Phil Jackson brought in didn’t make an impact. Jeff Hornacek’s new fast-paced offense didn’t result in many points. Derrick Rose said he’s not comfortable playing the triangle and lamented a lack of toughness after the Knicks put up little fight and resistance in the second half against LeBron James and the Cavaliers. -- Newsday
Knicks routed, 117-88, as Cavaliers raise their championship banner: The lights dimmed for the start of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ championship celebration, with the Larry O’Brien Trophy, rings and a wine-colored banner set in place. The Knicks retreated to the locker room — except for Joakim Noah, who kept shooting free throws until he was ushered off the floor by a Quicken Loans Arena employee. The Knicks chose to ignore any lessons or inspiration from the ceremony, readying for the season on their own to prove that they are, as they bragged, a superteam, too. -- The Record
LeBron James Puts Up Triple-Double as Cavaliers Crush Knicks in Opener: Once the lights dimmed and delirium began to sweep through Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday night, the Knicks retreated to the visiting locker room. They wanted no part of the ring ceremony, and they had no interest in bearing witness to the raising of a new championship banner. Those rewards belonged to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Knicks were trying to prepare for a game — and a new season. They were about to wade into the crucible of an 82-game schedule by facing a fearsome opponent, and that seemed to be the way they wanted it. -- The New York Times