Knicks beat Cavaliers 109-91 Game 2

The New York Knicks took a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday, May 21, with a 109-93 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. Josh Hart scored a playoff career-high 26 points, and Jalen Brunson finished with 19 points and 14 assists as New York moved within two wins of its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. (nba.com) The official NBA box score listed the final at 109-93, not 109-91. (apnews.com) Game 2 followed New York’s Game 1 comeback from a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter, a rally The Athletic described as the Knicks’ largest playoff comeback and the second-biggest fourth-quarter playoff comeback since 2000. (nba.com) Thursday’s result was less chaotic and far more controlled, with New York taking over in the second half. ### How did New York separate after halftime? The third quarter turned the game. New York outscored Cleveland 32-21 in the period and pushed the margin into double digits before the fourth quarter. (nba.com) Fox Sports’ play-by-play showed the Knicks completing an 18-0 run midway through the third. Madison Square Garden saw New York go from a five-point halftime lead to a 15-point advantage by the end of the third. The Knicks shot efficiently across the game, while Cleveland’s offense stalled after the break. Basketball-Reference and RealGM both list New York with a 109-93 win after leading 53-49 at halftime. (nytimes.com) ### What did Josh Hart’s night look like? Josh Hart led New York with 26 points, the highest playoff total of his career, according to the Associated Press and NBA.com’s box score. Hart’s scoring gave the Knicks another source of offense beyond Brunson, who also directed the game with 14 assists. (nba.com) Jalen Brunson’s line — 19 points and 14 assists — underscored how New York generated clean looks through much of the night. The Knicks’ balance mattered after Game 1 had required a late rescue; in Game 2, they built and protected the lead much earlier. (basketball.realgm.com) ### What went wrong for Cleveland? Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points for Cleveland, but the Cavaliers did not get enough efficient offense around him. NBA.com’s box score shows Cleveland shot poorly from deep and got only five points from Max Strus and four from Sam Merrill. (apnews.com) Cleveland also lost the flow it had in stretches of Game 1. RealGM’s box score shows the Cavaliers finished with a.444 effective field-goal rate, while New York posted.594. That gap widened as the Knicks’ defense forced Cleveland into a slower, less productive second half. (apnews.com) ### Why does the score matter beyond one night? A 2-0 series lead gives New York control heading into the road portion of the series. NBA.com’s playoff schedule page lists the Knicks and Cavaliers in the East finals, with the league saying the page will be updated as scheduling is officially announced. (nba.com) The result also corrected the tone of the matchup after Game 1’s comeback could be framed as a one-off swing. Thursday’s win gave New York a second straight victory over Cleveland and this time came without overtime. (basketball.realgm.com) ### What comes next in the series? The next game in the series is Game 3 in Cleveland, with New York holding a 2-0 lead. The NBA’s official playoff schedule page remains the primary reference for confirmed dates and times as they are posted. (nba.com) June 3 is the scheduled start of the 2026 NBA Finals, according to ESPN’s playoff schedule page. That leaves Cleveland needing a response at home, while New York heads into Game 3 two wins from the Finals. (espn.com) (nba.com) (nytimes.com)