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."
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The series shifts to Cleveland for Game 3 on Saturday, where the Cavaliers will look to leverage their 6-1 home playoff record.
