The New York Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-93 on May 21, 2026, at Madison Square Garden to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.
All five Knicks starters scored in double figures, combining for 96 points, as the team secured its ninth consecutive playoff victory.
Swingman Josh Hart recorded a postseason career-high 26 points, along with seven assists and four rebounds, while making five of 11 three-point attempts.
Knicks coach Mike Brown praised Hart's performance, noting that Cleveland defenders repeatedly left him open on the perimeter.
Hart bounced back from an inefficient shooting night in Game 1, where he missed all four long-range attempts in the first half.
"I knew I had to just keep shooting, and if I did that, I'd be good," Hart said.
He scored 12 points in the first half and matched that total in the third quarter alone by converting three consecutive three-pointers.
Hart became the third player in franchise history to record at least 25 points, five assists, and five three-pointers in a Conference Finals game.
"I'm a servant to these guys," Hart said, emphasizing that personal accolades mattered less than contributing to the team's success.
Guard Jalen Brunson added 19 points and a postseason career-high 14 assists, the highest single-game assist total for a Knicks player in the playoffs since 1998.
"Our offense ... the way we were able to play in transition, was a credit to our defense," Brunson said.
New York outscored Cleveland 13-8 in fastbreak points and finished with 32 total assists.
Forward Mikal Bridges applauded Brunson's willingness to distribute the ball when the Cavaliers focused on stopping his individual scoring.
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 26 points but appeared to be laboring on the court.
James Harden contributed 18 points on 40 percent shooting from the field along with two assists.
Cleveland fell behind by 18 points during a pivotal third-quarter run by New York and now faces an 0-2 series deficit heading into Game 3.
"This isn't our first time facing adversity," Mitchell said. "We've been through two Game 7s, so being down 2-0 is not the biggest challenge."
The series shifts to Cleveland for Game 3 on Saturday, where the Cavaliers will look to leverage their 6-1 home playoff record.
