NEW YORK -- This wasn't the only championship the Cavaliers had in mind when the season started.

But now that it's about over, and given the craziness that's gone on, Cleveland will take another Central Division championship.

LeBron James finished with 26 points and 11 assists in the Cavs' 123-109 win over the New York Knicks Monday, clinching their seventh Central title.

James is the first player in NBA history to be on a team that won its division in 10 consecutive years, a streak that dates to his last two seasons with the Cavs before he joined the Miami Heat in 2010.

"Throughout a long season if you're able to accomplish feats no matter what's going on, you should always try to appreciate it, try to take time," James said. "I've been one, I'm kind of like been a hypocrite of that because I'm always moving and trying to figure how we can be better then next day or whatever the case (might) be. So, it's always hard for me to be like, 'OK, another division crown.' Even after all that's gone on with our team and our ballclub this year, but it's a pretty cool thing."

This division crown could have real implications for the playoffs.

Cleveland trails Philadelphia by a half game for third in the East. The Sixers, who have won 14 in a row, play at the Atlanta Hawks Tuesday and finish the season at home against the Milwaukee Bucks Wednesday.

If the Sixers win out, they get the third seed and will play the sixth seed (Miami, Milwaukee, and Washington all still had a shot at No. 6 entering play Monday). In that scenario, the Cavs would host the No. 5 Indiana Pacers this weekend.

But if the Sixers were to lose on of their last two and the Cavs beat the Knicks Wednesday (or, let's suppose, somehow the Sixers lose both of their remaining games), the Cavs would get the third seed because they won the Central and the Sixers didn't win the Atlantic Division (Boston did).

The Cavs won their 50th game for the fourth consecutive season, coinciding with the return to the franchise of James.

"It's very special," Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said. "I think anytime you can win your division and have home court in the first round I think it's a good accomplishment, especially with everything we've been through this year. The guys just stuck with it and now we're in position where we can tie our win total from last year. Excited about the win."

This was Cleveland's ninth straight win at Madison Square Garden and its 11th win in the last 13 games.

Kevin Love was the Cavs' leading scorer Monday with 28 points on six 3-pointers (13 attempts). Since March 19, Love is shooting 32-of-70 from 3-point range.

"I just felt like tonight they just gave me a little too much space, so I was just shooting what was there for me," Love said. "I felt like a couple others could've dropped but overall they were mostly good shots."

JR Smith scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half. Jordan Clarkson (16 points) and Larry Nance Jr. (10 points, six rebounds) were strong off the bench.

"I've won the championship already and I feel I know how that feels," Smith said, referring to the Cavs' 2016 NBA championship. "It's no knock to the division championship, but we don't play for those. We play for that gold boss."

The Knicks were led by 20 points from Michael Beasley.

Lue is looking at Kyle Korver to potentially start at shooting guard in the playoffs. He started there Tuesday for Rodney Hood, who missed the game with a sore Achilles, and scored just two points on 1-of-4 shooting. George Hill started at point guard after a four-game absence and contributed five points and four assists.

Among the long laundry things of weird things to happen to the Cavs this season -- one is certainly injuries. They've lost 194 games to injury this season and have yet to play a game as a full roster since four franchise-shifting trades were made Feb. 8.

Losing to the Knicks, who are tanking, would've been on that list.

The Cavs led by as many as 14 in the first half and were ahead 61-49 at halftime. They built an 18-point lead in the third quarter, only to see the Knicks get as close as 99-94 with 6:37 remaining.

James scored nine in the fourth quarter and Clarkson 11 to stave off the upset.

As it stands, the Cavs need one more win to equal their win total (51) from a season ago, when they had Kyrie Irving. They traded Irving (their second-best player) to Boston and failed to replace him.

"We've got one more at home and then like we always say, the real thing starts," Love said. "But yeah, 50 wins and a division title is ... we're still happy with that, and home court. Ready to dial it in."

NEXT:

The Cavs finish the 2017-18 regular season at 8 p.m. Wednesday against these Knicks.