Knicks take 2-0 series lead with 109-93 Game 2 win over Cavaliers

The New York Knicks took a 2-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals with a 109-93 win on Thursday at Madison Square Garden. Josh Hart scored a playoff career-high 26 points, Jalen Brunson finished with 19 points and a playoff career-high 14 assists, and Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points and 13 rebounds. (nba.com) The result pushed New York within two wins of its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, according to the Associated Press game report carried on NBA.com. (nba.com) It also extended the Knicks’ postseason winning streak to nine games after their overtime comeback in Game 1. ### How did New York separate after a tighter start? The Knicks used an 18-0 run in the third quarter to turn a competitive game into a double-digit lead. NBA.com’s game recap said the burst gave New York a 71-53 advantage and removed the need for another late rally two nights after the Knicks erased a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit in Game 1. (nba.com) New York shot 51.8% from the field and made 13 of 36 3-point attempts, while Cleveland shot 38.8% overall and 9 of 35 from behind the arc. The Knicks also finished with 32 assists on 44 made baskets, compared with 15 assists for the Cavaliers. (nba.com) ### Why was Josh Hart the central figure in Game 2? Hart finished with 26 points, seven assists, four rebounds and five 3-pointers in 33:20. NBA.com’s recap said Cleveland’s defensive approach appeared willing to leave him open from long range, and Hart made the Cavaliers pay. (nba.com) Knicks coach Mike Brown called it “just a whale of a game from Josh,” according to the AP report on NBA.com. Hart’s scoring lead came on a night when New York again got balanced production, with Mikal Bridges scoring 19 and Towns and Brunson each anchoring different parts of the offense. (nba.com) ### What did Brunson and Towns add beyond the box score? Brunson’s 14 assists were a playoff career high, and his line helped explain how New York generated clean looks across the floor. The Knicks’ starters combined for 96 points, and four starters scored at least 18. (nba.com) Towns said the Knicks were not treating the 2-0 lead as a cushion. “In our mind it’s 0-0. We’ve got to win the next game. It’s the most important game of the year and that’s how we treat it,” he said, according to NBA.com’s AP recap. (nba.com) ### What went wrong for Cleveland? Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points and James Harden added 18, but Cleveland got little offensive efficiency elsewhere. Max Strus shot 1-for-7, Sam Merrill shot 1-for-8, and the Cavaliers committed eight turnovers while struggling to match New York’s pace once the third-quarter run began. (nba.com) Mitchell said Cleveland had seen this situation before after falling behind 2-0 in the previous round. “Nothing to hang our head about,” he said. “They protected home court, and we’ve seen this before so we’re going to go to Game 3.” (nba.com) ### What does the schedule look like now? Game 3 is set for Saturday, May 23, at 8 p.m. ET in Cleveland, with Game 4 scheduled for Monday, May 25, also in Cleveland. If necessary, the series would return to New York for Game 5 on May 27, back to Cleveland for Game 6 on May 29, and to Madison Square Garden for Game 7 on May 31. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2)