New York, NY — The New York Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-93 on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, grabbing a 2-0 advantage in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Key numbers
• Score: Knicks 109, Cavaliers 93
• Series: New York leads 2-0
• Location: Madison Square Garden, New York
• Date: Thursday, May — (Game 2)
How it happened
The Knicks established control after halftime, outscoring Cleveland 57-44 in the final two quarters. Forward Josh Hart punished the Cavaliers’ defensive scheme by hitting 5-of-11 from three-point range, while guard Jalen Brunson finished with 19 points and 14 assists, repeatedly finding open teammates.
New York’s plan to limit Cleveland’s primary scorers worked early, and the visitors struggled to generate consistent offense. The Cavaliers shot just 39.5 percent from the field and 23.5 percent from deep, including a combined 3-for-19 showing from role players Sam Merrill, Max Strus and Jaylon Tyson.
Individual performances
Cavaliers
• Donovan Mitchell: 26 points
• James Harden: 18 points, 6 rebounds
• Evan Mobley: 14 points (scoreless on zero attempts after halftime), 6 rebounds
• Jarrett Allen: 13 points, 10 rebounds
Knicks
• Jalen Brunson: 19 points, 14 assists
• Josh Hart: 17 points (5-of-11 3FG)
• Supporting cast combined to hit 14 three-pointers, stretching Cleveland’s defense.
Inside the box score
The Cavaliers committed only eight turnovers and won the rebounding battle 42-40 but failed to capitalize at the free-throw line, converting 22-of-32 attempts. Cleveland also went long stretches without a field goal, particularly in the third quarter when New York opened a double-digit lead that never shrank.
What’s next
The best-of-seven series shifts to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse for Game 3, where Cleveland will try to hold serve at home and avoid a 0-3 deficit. The Cavaliers must also secure at least one road win later in the series to advance.
Source: Hoops Wire
