Knicks take 2-0 lead with 109-91 Game 2 win over Cavaliers

The New York Knicks took a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals with a 109-93 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 21 at Madison Square Garden. Josh Hart scored a playoff career-high 26 points, and New York controlled the second half after Cleveland kept the game close through two quarters. (nba.com) Jalen Brunson finished with 19 points and 14 assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points and 13 rebounds. (youtube.com) The series now moves to Cleveland for Game 3. ### How did New York take control after halftime? New York opened separation in the second half after a competitive first two quarters, according to NBA.com’s live recap and game box score. (xscores.com) The Knicks repeatedly answered Cleveland runs and kept the Cavaliers from turning the game into a late-possession finish. The Knicks shot 44-for-85 from the field and made 13 three-pointers, according to NBA.com’s box score. Cleveland finished with 93 points, not 91 as some early summaries suggested, and the official NBA box score lists the final margin at 16 points. (nba.com) ### Why was Josh Hart the central figure in Game 2? Josh Hart finished with 26 points, seven assists, four rebounds and five made three-pointers, giving him a new playoff career high, ESPN’s highlight summary said. His scoring mattered because New York got it from a player whose role had been a point of discussion after Game 1. (nba.com) The performance came 48 hours after outside discussion about Hart’s place in the rotation, and New York kept him in his usual role for Game 2, local coverage reported. By the end of the night, Hart had become the Knicks’ top scorer in a conference finals game they led throughout the closing stretch. (nba.com) ### What did Brunson and Towns add beyond Hart’s scoring? Jalen Brunson recorded 14 assists with 19 points, giving New York steady half-court creation even when Cleveland cut the lead. ESPN’s highlight summary and Yahoo Sports’ game report both identified Brunson’s second-half playmaking as a key part of the Knicks’ control. (youtube.com) Karl-Anthony Towns posted 18 points and 13 rebounds, adding interior scoring and second-chance control. The Knicks’ main contributors combined efficient shooting with ball movement, and the official box score showed New York with 32 assists on 44 made field goals. (nydailynews.com) ### What does the 2-0 score mean as the series moves? The Knicks now hold a 2-0 edge as the Eastern Conference finals shift out of New York. Cleveland returns home needing a response after dropping the first two games of the series, while New York has protected home court and avoided giving back the advantage it gained in Game 1. (youtube.com) UPI reported on May 22 that Cavaliers players said they were “ready” for the challenge of climbing out of the 0-2 hole. (nba.com) That sets up Game 3 less as a reset than as Cleveland’s first home chance to cut into the deficit. ### When and where is Game 3? Game 3 is scheduled for May 24 in Cleveland, according to schedule listings surfaced by search results and the NBA’s official schedule page. The NBA schedule page also shows the series continuing with Cleveland as the host for the next step in the Eastern Conference finals. (sports.yahoo.com) May 24 is now the next concrete date in the series, with the Cavaliers hosting the Knicks in Game 3 after New York’s two home wins to open the matchup. (xscores.com) (upi.com)