Josh Hart rebounded from a rough opener by pouring in 26 points Thursday night, guiding the New York Knicks to a 109-93 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers and a 2-0 advantage in the Eastern Conference finals.
The forward, who spent most of the fourth quarter and overtime on the bench during Game 1, missed his first three perimeter attempts in Game 2 before catching fire. Hart finished 5-for-11 from deep, added seven assists and two steals, and posted a game-best plus-17 rating.
“Those first three felt good, so it was frustrating,” Hart said. “I just had to keep shooting.”
Head coach Mike Brown told reporters he never considered pulling Hart despite the early struggles, citing the veteran’s value as a “connector” on both ends of the floor.
Brunson adjusts, dishes career-high 14 assists
After scoring 16 fourth-quarter points to seal Game 1, Jalen Brunson saw Cleveland trap aggressively to get the ball out of his hands. The point guard responded by handing out 14 assists, his personal postseason best. “If you double him, he’ll make you pay,” teammate Mikal Bridges said.
Bridges delivers two-way punch
New York’s trade-deadline acquisition continues to justify the package of five first-rounders and a $150 million extension. Bridges has held James Harden in check defensively while scoring 37 points on 69.6% shooting across the series’ first two contests.
Robinson’s free-throw woes linger
Center Mitchell Robinson went 0-for-4 at the stripe in Game 2 after a 2-for-8 showing in the opener, prompting Brown to limit him to three second-half minutes.
Alvarado’s voice resonates from the bench
Reserve guard Jose Alvarado is averaging just 7.5 minutes but is earning praise for his sideline energy. Brown highlighted film clips in practice showing Alvarado “uplifting the entire team” with constant encouragement.
The series shifts to Cleveland for Game 3 with the Knicks holding a two-game cushion.
Source: Hoops Rumors
