New York Knicks lead Cavaliers 2-0

The New York Knicks took a 2-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals with a 109-93 win at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night. Josh Hart scored a playoff career-high 26 points, and Jalen Brunson finished with 19 points and a playoff career-high 14 assists. (basketball-reference.com) The result came two days after New York erased a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to win Game 1 in overtime, giving the Knicks control of the series as it shifts to Ohio. (apnews.com) Cleveland arrived in New York after surviving two seven-game series earlier in the postseason, and the Cavaliers’ home floor now becomes the immediate setting for their response. (nba.com) NBA.com’s updated playoff schedule lists Game 3 for Saturday, May 23, at 8 p.m. ET in Cleveland, with Game 4 on Monday, May 25. ### How did New York separate after a close start? The game was tied 5-5 in the opening minutes before New York built control through its starters and a decisive third-quarter burst. Fox Sports’ play-by-play summary showed the Knicks completed an 18-0 run in the third quarter, turning a competitive game into a double-digit lead. (basketball-reference.com) Basketball-Reference’s game log lists New York’s 109-93 victory as the final margin at Madison Square Garden. NBA.com said the Knicks’ starting lineup combined for 96 points and 12 made 3-pointers in Game 2. (nba.com) The league’s series page said New York is averaging 112.0 points through two games, compared with Cleveland’s 98.5. ### Which Knicks set the tone in Game 2? Josh Hart delivered the biggest scoring night of the game with 26 points. The Associated Press said it was a playoff career high for Hart, while Brunson paired his 19 points with 14 assists, also a playoff career best. (foxsports.com) Jalen Brunson remains the series’ leading scorer through two games at 28.5 points per game, according to NBA.com’s East finals page. The same page lists Brunson at 10.0 assists per game in the series and Donovan Mitchell at 27.5 points per game for Cleveland. (nba.com) ### What makes Cleveland’s position notable now? Cleveland’s two losses in New York followed a postseason path that had already stretched. The Cavaliers’ team playoff page shows they beat Toronto 4-3 in the first round and Detroit 4-3 in the conference semifinals before falling behind New York 0-2 in the East finals. (apnews.com) The Game 1 defeat had already been damaging because New York closed that opener on a 44-11 run after trailing by 22 in the fourth quarter, according to The Athletic’s live analysis page surfaced in search results. Game 2 then ended without a late Cleveland recovery, leaving the Cavaliers needing to protect home court to extend the series. (nba.com) ### Where does the series go from here? Rocket Arena in Cleveland hosts the next two games. NBA.com’s official playoff schedule lists Game 3 for Saturday, May 23, at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN and Game 4 for Monday, May 25, at 8 p.m. (nba.com) ET on ESPN, while the Cavaliers’ team site lists the same games at Rocket Arena. The 2026 NBA Finals are scheduled to begin on June 3 on ABC, according to NBA.com. For now, New York is two wins away from reaching that round, and Cleveland returns home needing a response in Game 3 to cut the deficit. (nba.com) (nytimes.com)