Josh Hart posted a playoff career-high 26 points as the New York Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 109-93, on Friday to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals, according to the Associated Press.
Key Performances
Jalen Brunson flirted with a double-double with 19 points and a playoff career-best 14 assists, while Mikal Bridges also scored 19 points for the Knicks, who moved halfway toward their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points and 13 rebounds as New York stretched its postseason winning streak to nine games, the NBA's longest since the Boston Celtics won 10 straight during their 2024 championship run.
Hart's Hot Shooting
Hart made five three-pointers in 11 attempts and added seven assists, making Cleveland pay for repeatedly leaving him open from beyond the arc. After storming back from a 22-point deficit in Game 1, the Knicks avoided another dramatic finish by breaking the game open with an 18-0 run in the third quarter that turned a tight contest into a 71-53 advantage.
Cavaliers' Struggles
Donovan Mitchell paced Cleveland with 26 points, while James Harden chipped in 18 markers. The Cavaliers now face the difficult task of overcoming a 2-0 deficit for the second straight round as the series shifts to Cleveland for Game 3 on Sunday. The Knicks reached the Eastern Conference finals for the second consecutive year but have not advanced to the NBA Finals since losing to the San Antonio Spurs in 1999.
Game Flow
Brunson, who erupted for 38 points in the series opener, struggled early and had just two points at halftime before igniting the decisive third-quarter rally with a three-pointer. He later finished with the highest assist total of his playoff career. Hart, meanwhile, bounced back after playing sparingly late in Game 1. The forward entered Friday shooting just 26.7 percent from three-point range in the playoffs and showed visible frustration after an early miss, but continued firing away and eventually found his rhythm.
Mitchell started slowly with only seven first-half points, fueling speculation about his health following Game 1. However, his three-pointer gave Cleveland a 27-24 edge after the opening quarter. New York carried a slim 53-49 lead into halftime before unleashing its game-changing run in the third period. Brunson scored the first basket of the spurt and Hart buried back-to-back triples to cap the surge.
Cleveland trimmed the deficit to single digits midway through the fourth quarter, but poor free-throw shooting hurt the Cavaliers' comeback bid. They missed 10 foul shots and finished just 68.8 percent from the line as the Knicks pulled away again late.
