Knicks cruise to Game 2 victory over Cavaliers for commanding Eastern Conference finals lead

You could feel it happening in real time. Beforehand, you could see it coming from a mile away. 

The Cavaliers unraveled, like they did in Game 1. The Knicks clicked into gear, as they have repeatedly during this nine-game tour de force. 

At this point, it all felt inevitable, this 109-93 Game 2 win over the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals. There is a predictable nature — in all the best ways — about these Knicks at the moment. 

After a sluggish first-half showing offensively, the Knicks erupted for 32 points — by way of an electric 18-0 run — in the third quarter. They outscored the Cavaliers by 11, as their four-point halftime lead ballooned to 15. They shot 13-for-23 from the field and 5-for-10 from 3-point range in the period. 

Madison Square Garden grew a bit uneasy as the Knicks started the fourth quarter slowly, saw their lead cut to single digits and went into the penalty with 9:19 left in the game. But the closest the Cavs got was seven points. Then the Knicks restored order. 

They put themselves within two wins of the Finals with a commanding win Thursday night and a comfortable 2-0 series lead. 

Josh Hart was in the middle of everything. 

The Cavs continued their strategy of having Jarrett Allen not guard him beyond the perimeter, daring Hart to take wide-open 3-pointers. Hart obliged, but his Game 1 shooting woes — when he went 1-for-5 from deep — bled into the start of Game 2. He went 2-for-7 from 3-point range in the first half and 5-for-12 overall. Those 12 shots were five more than the next highest, Karl-Anthony Towns, and double Brunson’s attempts. 

Allen letting Hart go unguarded allowed the Cavs big man to act as a second defender on Brunson, whose two first-half points were the fewest he ever scored in a playoff half with the Knicks. It was stymieing the Knicks offense as a whole. 

Hart, after starting 0-for-3 from deep, was visibly frustrated. 

“I don’t know if we can say what he was saying to himself out loud,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. 

But Hart — and coach Mike Brown’s trust in him — did not waver. Hart kept firing away and drilled all three 3s he took in the third quarter. It wasn’t just his shooting, either — he was everywhere. He had three assists, two steals and an offensive rebound in the quarter. In total, Hart finished with 26 points — a playoff career high — along with seven assists, four rebounds and two steals. 

“He’s a gamer,” Brown said. “When you have guys that are gamers, they do stuff that people don’t think that they can do at any time. He knows the work that he puts in, we know the work that he puts in and his confidence is not gonna waver. … If Jarrett Allen wants to play in the paint, shoot it.” 

And Brunson’s historically quiet first half predictably didn’t last. 

He had seven points and six assists in the third quarter. He finished with 19 points and 14 assists, the latter of which was a playoff career high and the most by a Knick in a playoff game since Charlie Ward in 1998. 

As the Cavs kept doubling him, he kept finding open teammates. Once those teammates started hitting open shots, the dynamic Knicks offense returned in full force. 

“It shows the confidence that he has in us,” Hart said. “And the depth of a team that we have. … It just shows the character of the team, character of him. It shows we can win games in different ways.” 

Towns was aggressive early with 13 first-half points. He finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds. 

Mikal Bridges, continuing his stellar performances the past two series, finished with 19 points on efficient 9-for-12 shooting from the field. Only one of those shots was a 3-pointer — he has been as aggressive attacking the rim as he’s ever been with the Knicks. And he again played strong defense on James Harden. Bridges and Towns helped keep the Knicks afloat during their first-half slog. 

And OG Anunoby kept knocking off his rust, adding 14 points. 

As a team, the Knicks made the Cavs’ prolific shot-blockers — Allen and Evan Mobley — irrelevant. They had a 58-40 advantage in points in the paint. 

Donovan Mitchell, who had 26 points, was a one-man show for the Cavs. The Knicks held them to a combined 38.8 percent shooting from the field and 25.7 percent shooting from 3-point range. The Cavs also missed 10 free throws. They went down weakly. 

The Knicks, on the other hand, keep surging. They have the best point differential (plus-221) across the first 12 games of a postseason in NBA history. The five teams below them all won championships. 

“The most important thing is that we’re growing and learning together,” Brunson said. “No matter what the situation is, whatever the series is or whatever, we’re open to getting better, open to figuring out how to win games, trusting each other. 

“It’s a lot of different things.” 

These Knicks have so many different ways to beat opponents. So many ways to whip their fans into a frenzy. So many memorable moments this postseason. 

Every indication is that there will be many more.