Ken and Lima open the Eastern Conference Finals preview by asking whether Cleveland fans are actually more comfortable as underdogs against the Knicks than they ever were as the team with expectations, while acknowledging that nobody outside Northeast Ohio is giving the Cavs a serious shot in this series. The Detroit revenge tour is a side dish worth savoring — the Guardians and Cavs both beat up on Detroit in the same 24-hour window, sending a Barstool media personality into a full meltdown, and Ken is feeling genuinely nostalgic about having a real Cleveland-Detroit rivalry to enjoy again. The real intrigue heading into Game 1 at MSG is whether Donovan Mitchell, who has historically torched the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, uses this matchup to have the biggest series of his Cavs tenure — because the personnel in front of him looks a lot more favorable than what Toronto and Detroit threw at him.
Do You Like the Cavs Being Underdogs Against the New York Knicks?
Jarrett Allen #31 of the Cleveland Cavaliers shoots the ball against the Detroit Pistons during the first half in Game Seven of the Second Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at Little Caesars Arena on May 17, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan.
Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima
The only place to talk about the Cleveland sports scene weekday mornings is with Ken Carman and Anthony Lima from 6-10a! The show guides you through…
