Knicks enter Game 3 up 2-0

The New York Knicks went into Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals with a 2-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers after defending home court at Madison Square Garden in the first two games. New York won Game 1 on May 19 by a 115-104 score in overtime after climbing out of a 22-point hole, then took Game 2 on May 21 by a 109-93 margin. Basketball-Reference lists the Knicks ahead 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, and NBA.com’s playoff coverage carried that same setup into Saturday night in Cleveland. ### How did New York get control of the series so quickly? Game 1 gave the series its first defining sequence. Basketball-Reference shows Cleveland led big before New York closed the gap and finished the comeback in overtime, with Jalen Brunson scoring 38 points in the Knicks’ 115-104 win on May 19. (basketball-reference.com) Game 2 was less dramatic and more direct. Basketball-Reference lists a 109-93 Knicks win on May 21, a result that pushed New York to a 2-0 edge before the series shifted to Rocket Arena. NBA.com’s live coverage said Cleveland had blown a 21-point fourth-quarter lead in Game 1 and then watched New York “take care of business” in Game 2. (basketball-reference.com) ### Which Knicks had set the tone through two games? Jalen Brunson averaged 28.5 points and 10.0 assists through the first two games, according to Basketball-Reference’s series page. Josh Hart averaged 19.5 points, while Mikal Bridges shot 69.6% from the field and averaged 18.5 points. (basketball-reference.com) Karl-Anthony Towns gave New York its interior production. Basketball-Reference lists Towns at 15.5 points and 13.0 rebounds per game through the first two contests, helping the Knicks control the glass and keep extra possessions alive. ### What had gone wrong for Cleveland before Game 3? (basketball-reference.com) Donovan Mitchell carried much of Cleveland’s scoring load early in the series. Basketball-Reference shows Mitchell averaging 27.5 points through Games 1 and 2, but Cleveland still entered Game 3 down 0-2 after scoring 104 and 93 points in the two losses. (basketball-reference.com) The Cavaliers had also let a major chance slip in the opener. NBA.com’s live blog said Cleveland blew a 21-point fourth-quarter lead in Game 1 before losing in overtime, leaving the team to play from behind in the series once it returned home. ### What was at stake when the series moved to Cleveland? (basketball-reference.com) Game 3 carried the usual playoff math. NBA.com’s Eastern Conference finals tracker listed New York leading 2-0 entering the May 23 game, meaning a Knicks win would put Cleveland in a 3-0 hole. ESPN’s playoff schedule page notes all NBA playoff rounds are best-of-seven and use the 2-2-1-1-1 format, with the better regular-season team hosting Games 1, 2, 5 and 7. (nba.com) Rocket Arena also changed the setting, not the pressure. NBA.com’s Game 3 preview said Cleveland was “looking to get on the board” in the series after dropping both games in New York. ### What did Game 3 look like in real time? At halftime on May 23, NBA.com’s live updates said New York led 60-54 after shooting 57% from the field in the first half. (api-hub.nba.com) OG Anunoby had 13 points for the Knicks at the break, while James Harden led Cleveland with 14 points and four rebounds, according to the same live blog. (nba.com) After one quarter, NBA.com had the Knicks ahead 37-27, with Karl-Anthony Towns on 11 points. The league’s live coverage also said New York had won nine straight playoff games entering the night. ### When is the next game in the series? Game 4 is scheduled for Monday in Cleveland under the NBA’s playoff calendar, with the Knicks and Cavaliers remaining in the Eastern Conference finals bracket. (nba.com) The NBA Finals are scheduled to begin on June 3, according to ESPN’s playoff schedule page. (espn.com)