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

The New York Knicks are two wins from the NBA Finals after a 109-93 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 on Thursday, May 21, 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 took a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals. The Knicks also got 19 points from Mikal Bridges and 18 points with 13 rebounds from Karl-Anthony Towns. Cleveland now heads home needing a response in Game 3 on Saturday, May 23. ### How did New York control Game 2 after the Game 1 comeback? New York did not need another late rally. The Knicks led by one at halftime, then broke the game open with an 18-0 run in the third quarter, according to the NBA’s game recap. That stretch turned a tight game into a double-digit lead and gave New York control for the rest of the night. The Knicks’ starting lineup supplied most of the damage. New York’s starters combined for 96 points and 12 made 3-pointers, the NBA said, while Hart’s scoring gave the offense a different lead option after Brunson carried key stretches of Game 1. ### What stood out most in Josh Hart’s night? Josh Hart finished with 26 points, seven assists and one turnover, giving New York a high-efficiency game from a player Cleveland did not stop consistently. (nba.com) Hart had been benched late in Game 1, but he answered with his highest-scoring playoff game in Game 2. (nba.com) Sporting News and the Associated Press both identified Hart’s 26 points as the game’s top individual total. Brunson’s 14 assists also helped define the night, with New York generating clean looks without needing one player to dominate every possession. (forbes.com) ### What did Brunson and the rest of the Knicks add? Jalen Brunson scored 19 points and directed the offense with 14 assists, according to the Associated Press recap carried on NBA.com. Mikal Bridges also scored 19, and Karl-Anthony Towns posted 18 points and 13 rebounds as New York balanced scoring across its main lineup. The Knicks have now won nine straight playoff games, according to Yahoo Sports and Forbes. (sportingnews.com) That run has put New York halfway to what the AP described as its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. ### What went wrong for Cleveland? Cleveland stayed close through the first half, but the Cavaliers did not recover from New York’s third-quarter burst. (nba.com) The final score reflected a game that turned on one sustained Knicks run rather than a back-and-forth finish. (sports.yahoo.com) UPI reported Friday that Cavaliers players said they were “ready” for the challenge of climbing out of an 0-2 hole as the series shifts to Ohio. That leaves Cleveland needing to protect home court immediately to avoid falling behind 3-0. ### When is Game 3, and where can viewers find it? (sportingnews.com) Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday, May 23, at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. NBA.com lists the tipoff at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and shows ABC as the national TV outlet for the game. WKYC’s Game 3 preview also said the series resumes in Cleveland on Saturday. The Knicks lead 2-0 entering that game, with Cleveland trying to cut the deficit before the series returns to New York. (upi.com) (wkyc.com) (nba.com)