New York Daily News

In Garden finale, Jeff’s team shows no fight vs.

- BY PETER BOTTE CAVALIERS KNICKS 123 109

All Michael Beasley could do was run for cover while LeBron James soared down the lane for an emphatic dunk late in the second quarter on Monday night at the Garden.

It was the kind of highlight that could land Beasley on a poster and LeBron on another billboard.

In what could have been Jeff Hornacek’s final home game as coach of the sunken Knicks, James netted 26 points and dished out 11 assists in the Cavaliers’ 123109 victory — providing a sellout crowd that included Masters champion Patrick Reed what it truly came to see on Fan Appreciati­on Night at MSG, even if LeBron has no plans to sign in New York as a free agent this summer.

“All that matters is that we’re in the postseason and that’s all we can ask for,” James said after the Cavs clinched the Central Division crown. “We’ve been injury-plagued all year. But we’re in the postseason this coming weekend and after Wednesday we start to prepare and we’ll see what happens.”

James, who wore the words “I’M KING” on the back of black sneakers, had indicated before the game that he hasn’t paid much attention to the downtrodde­n Knicks all season, although he did acknowledg­e hearing about and being humbled by the recruitmen­t billboard that popped up outside the Garden last week imploring him to come to New York as a free agent.

The sign depicts James’ name on a No. 23 Knicks jersey, along with the hashtag #KINGJAMESN­YC18 and the phrase “King of New York? Prove it.”

Kevin Love scored a game-high 28 points and former Knick J.R. Smith added 16 as the Cavs improved to 19-9 since shaking up their roster at the February trade deadline (50-31 overall). They moved within a half-game of Philadelph­ia for the No. 3 playoff seed in the East, with another game against the depleted Knicks — who fell to 11-39 in their last 50

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