ESPN Analyst Calls for NBA to Deliver Cavaliers Punishment

The Cleveland Cavaliers fell into a 0-2 hole against the New York Knicks with a 109-93 loss on Thursday night.

If the loss wasn’t enough, ESPN‘s Kendrick Perkins wants the NBA to punish the Cavaliers for their lack of effort during the game. In an appearance on “First Take” the former NBA player suggested Adam Silver take action against Cleveland for the “embarrassment” the team has displayed.

“Real talk, when we’re watching the Cavs, it’s an embarrassment to the NBA. And if I’m Adam Silver, I would think about fining them for the performance and the effort they’re displaying on the floor,” he said.

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“It is horrible. I know the game plan is to say, ‘hey, we’re going to leave Josh Hart and we’re going to double-team big body Brunson, we’re going to make others beat us.’ But it’s a difference of making someone miss with a contest or hoping that they miss,” he added.

Cleveland faced a two-game deficit against the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals before winning four of the next five games to set up a date with the Knicks in the conference finals. The Cavaliers also had a stranglehold on Game 1 against New York before it went on a 44-11 run to win the game in overtime.

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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 11:30 AM.