After dropping a game at home, the Cleveland Cavaliers evened up the series on Tuesday. Ranking as one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, they put the clamps on the New York Knicks in the 107-90 victory. On a night their superstar Donovan Mitchell struggled, his right-hand man Darius Garland dazzled the crowd with his 32-point performance. While Garland made up for Mitchell’s struggles, Knicks star Julius Randle accidentally hurt his team with a sequence that left not just the fans but also Kevin Durant in giggles just hours before his playoff battle with the Los Angeles Clippers.

After tying the series up, the Cavaliers will now travel to the mecca of basketball, Madison Square Garden, the home of the Knicks, in what is anticipated to be a tough two games on the road.

Kevin Durant laughs as Julius Randle slaps Jalen Brunson

Down big, the Knicks had a desperation to cut down the deficit. They saw an opportunity for a fast break when Garland missed a tough layup. However, not only did the young Cavalier get a foul call, but Julius Randle accidentally slapped his own teammate, Jalen Brunson. Turning around quickly, the former MIP’s hand hit Brunson flush in the face.

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Bleacher Report shared the viral clip on Instagram, and the fans couldn’t control their laughter. Surprisingly, even Kevin Durant, who was just moments away from a playoff encounter himself reacted with a laughing emoji.

Randle would immediately check on the former Dallas Mavericks guard and apologize for his mistake. While they could make peace, the pair couldn’t crack down the Cleveland shield. The Knicks were held to just 36.7% shooting by a tenacious Cavaliers defense. On the other hand, the home side felt invincible tonight, shooting nearly 50%.

The series is even heading to New York

With each side sharing a game, all eyes now head to Madison Square Garden. A ruthless New York crowd awaits the return of playoff basketball back in the city. As one of the biggest markets in the NBA, the atmosphere is bound to be intense. The Cavaliers will have to battle not just the Knicks, but also the cheers and chants of their supporters.

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The Knicks won both the regular season encounters against the Cavs at the Garden. They will look to build on that as the series looks set to be a long battle. Do you think the Cavaliers will be able to handle the intimidating energy in the building? Let us know your views in the comments below.