Knicks beat Cavaliers, take 2-0 lead

The New York Knicks took a 2-0 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals with a 109-93 win in Game 2 on May 21 at Madison Square Garden. Josh Hart scored a playoff career-high 26 points, Jalen Brunson added 19 points and a playoff career-high 14 assists, and all five Knicks starters scored at least 18 points, according to NBA.com. (nba.com 1) (nba.com 2) New York followed its overtime comeback in Game 1 with a more controlled result in Game 2. The NBA’s series page lists the Knicks as leading 2-0, with Cleveland returning home for Game 3 on Saturday night. (nba.com) ### How did New York pull away after a tight start? The game was tied early in the third quarter before New York ripped off an 18-0 run over 4:44, according to the NBA and Fox Sports game summaries. Cleveland went scoreless on nine straight possessions during that stretch, and the Knicks pushed the lead into double digits. (nba.com) Josh Hart’s shooting was central to that burst. NBA.com said Cleveland repeatedly helped off Hart to crowd Jalen Brunson, and Hart answered with the best playoff scoring night of his career. (nba.com) ### Why was Josh Hart the defining player in Game 2? Hart finished with 26 points, four rebounds and seven assists in 33 minutes, according to the game box score. That scoring total was a playoff career high for Hart, NBA.com said. (nba.com) NBA.com said Cleveland’s defensive approach often left Hart open on the perimeter as the Cavaliers tried to contain Brunson’s drives. Hart made them pay, and the Knicks got efficient scoring across the lineup instead of relying on one late-game rescue. (nba.com) ### What did Brunson and the rest of the starters give the Knicks? Brunson finished with 19 points and 14 assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns had 18 points and 13 rebounds, according to the box score. Mikal Bridges also scored 19 points, and OG Anunoby added 14 as New York’s starting group supplied nearly all of the offensive base. (sofascore.com) NBA.com said all five Knicks starters scored at least 18 points. That balance gave New York a different shape from Game 1, when Brunson’s 38 points led an overtime comeback after the Knicks erased a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit. (nba.com) ### What went wrong for Cleveland? Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points for Cleveland, while Jarrett Allen had 13 points and 10 rebounds and Evan Mobley added 14 points, according to the box score. But the Cavaliers managed only 93 points after scoring 104 in the Game 1 overtime loss. (sofascore.com) NBA.com said Cleveland’s defensive choice to sag off Hart backfired, and the Cavaliers also lost control of the game during the Knicks’ third-quarter run. Fox Sports’ play-by-play summary shows New York leading by as many as 19 points. (nba.com) ### How much pressure is on Cleveland now? The NBA’s official series page lists New York two wins from the NBA Finals and Cleveland down 0-2 as the matchup shifts to Ohio. The Knicks have also won nine straight playoff games, according to NBA.com’s Game 2 takeaways. (sofascore.com) Game 3 is set for Saturday, May 23, at 8:00 p.m. ET in Cleveland, and Game 4 is scheduled for Monday, May 25, also in Cleveland, according to the NBA schedule for the series. (nba.com) (nba.com)