The New York Knicks will host the Cleveland Cavaliers for Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, May 21.
New York aims to take a 2-0 series lead after securing an opening victory with a historic 22-point fourth-quarter comeback, winning 115-104 in overtime.
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Historic Collapse
Cleveland collapsed in the final 12 minutes of Game 1 as the Knicks executed a 44-11 scoring run.
It marked the largest fourth-quarter comeback in the NBA playoffs since at least 1970.
The Cavaliers entered the final stretch leading heavily, but offensive stagnation from key players allowed New York to force overtime.
Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson attributed the late-game breakdown to physical exhaustion. "They dominated us in the fourth quarter," Atkinson said.
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Atkinson explained that the team faced heavy fatigue and missed multiple high-quality shot opportunities during the collapse. "I like to hold my timeouts," he added.
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau relied heavily on his rotation players to spark the defensive turnaround, particularly utilizing Landry Shamet to defend Cleveland guard Donovan Mitchell.
"It was no secret," Thibodeau said.
He noted that New York intentionally targeted James Harden defensively while praising the all-around contributions of Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns.
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The series remains at Madison Square Garden for Game 2 before shifting to Cleveland for subsequent matchups.
