Knicks take 2-0 lead with 109-91 win over Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden

The New York Knicks took control of the Eastern Conference finals with a 109-93 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday at Madison Square Garden. Josh Hart scored a playoff career-high 26 points, and Jalen Brunson added 19 points with 14 assists as New York moved ahead 2-0 in the series. The result followed the Knicks' overtime comeback in Game 1 and sent the series to Cleveland with New York two wins from the NBA Finals. Basketball-Reference and the Associated Press both listed the final score as 109-93, not 109-91. ### Why does the score matter here? The 109-93 margin showed a different kind of Knicks win. Game 1 turned on a late rally and overtime, but Game 2 was decided earlier, with New York building separation in the third quarter and never allowing Cleveland back within striking distance. Fox Sports' play-by-play log showed the Knicks put together an 18-0 run in the third. (basketball-reference.com) Madison Square Garden hosted both opening games, and the Knicks used the home floor to seize a 2-0 series edge. The Associated Press said New York moved halfway to its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. ### Who drove the Knicks' offense? (foxsports.com) Josh Hart delivered the biggest scoring line of the night for New York with 26 points, a playoff career high. His production gave the Knicks a top scorer beyond Brunson and underscored the role-player depth that has carried stretches of this postseason run. (apnews.com) Jalen Brunson finished with 19 points and 14 assists, according to the Associated Press. Fox Sports' in-game log showed Brunson had reached 10 assists before the end of the third quarter, a sign of how much of New York's offense flowed through him even on a night Hart led the scoring. (apnews.com) ### What changed from Game 1 to Game 2? Thursday's game looked less volatile than the opener. The Knicks did not need a late rescue; they controlled long stretches and widened the gap after halftime. USA Today described the game as one in which New York "unlocked a different way to win," with role players carrying much of the load. (apnews.com) Cleveland, by contrast, did not recover from the third-quarter swing. Basketball-Reference's box score recorded the Cavaliers at 93 points, well below the level they needed after losing Game 1 in overtime. ### Was there a discrepancy in the reported details? (usatoday.com) The preliminary card information said Brunson scored 23 points and that the final was 109-91. The more complete game reports available Friday did not match that. The Associated Press reported Brunson with 19 points and 14 assists, and Basketball-Reference listed the final score as 109-93. (basketball-reference.com) That matters because the verified box score changes the shape of the game slightly: Hart, not Brunson, was the clear scoring leader, and New York's edge was 16 points rather than 18. ### What comes next in the series? Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday, May 23, at 8 p.m. (apnews.com) ET in Cleveland. Rocket Arena's event page lists the Eastern Conference finals matchup for that date and start time, and NBA.com's playoff schedule page says the postseason calendar is updated as games are set. Cleveland will return home trailing 2-0, while New York will try to move within one win of the NBA Finals. The next game is at Rocket Arena, where the Cavaliers will host the first home game of the series. (rocketarena.com)