Eastern Conference Finals: Four Things We Learned in Knicks Statement Win vs. Cavaliers

After the Knicks rode an incredible comeback effort to victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, Game 2 was a far more comfortable win.

Josh Hart played the hero, Jalen Brunson played the role he needed to play, and the Cavaliers couldn't figure anything out in the second half as the Knicks ran away with things.

The Knicks now take a 2–0 lead as the series heads back to Cleveland for Game 3 on Saturday night. New York has won nine straight games, with all but one of those wins coming by double digits. Is this finally the year?

Below we break down four things we learned in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Josh Hart's big game is more proof of the Knicks' depth

Josh Hart was the surprise star for the Knicks in Game 2. The veteran guard led the team in scoring with a playoff career-high 26 points and dropped 12 of those in the third quarter when New York went on an 18-0 run to take a commanding lead. Hart's five three-pointers all felt perfectly timed as momentum builders. He also added four rebounds, seven assists and two steals.

It's always surprising when Hart has a big game on the score sheet. He's a tough, smart player who plays hard-nosed defense, and rebounds as well as any guard in the NBA, but he's not really a scorer. He averaged 12.0 points during the regular season and that had dipped to 11.8 in the playoffs entering Game 2. He's had four single-digit scoring nights in the 12 games he's played this postseason. When he's burying heat-check threes, it's found money for the Knicks.

Hart's offensive explosion served as more proof of New York's depth. The Knicks have multiple guys who can lead the way in scoring on any night. Other than star Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby are all capable of putting up big numbers. It was just Hart's turn on Thursday night in Game 2.

The Cavaliers' bench can't all go cold at the same time

In the postseason, a great performance from your role players is usually just a bonus. But when all of your role players go cold in the same game, that is a big problem.

The Cavaliers bench scored just 19 points on Thursday night. More damning, the trio of Max Strus, Sam Merrill, Jaylon Tyson and Dennis Schroder went a combined 1 of 15 from beyond the arc.

Cleveland's roster is undeniably front-loaded, but even a light spark from the bench can go a long way. In Game 1, which the Cavs came within inches of winning, Strus and Merrill had 20 points and five made threes between them. Without that contribution in Game 2, the Cavaliers were dead on arrival.

Jalen Brunson can be a facilitator, too

Jalen Brunson only had nine points entering the fourth quarter on Thursday night, before finishing with 19 thanks to a strong finish. Just because he took a backseat to Hart as the team's leading scorer, it doesn't mean he wasn't effective.

As Hart got hot, Brunson shifted into facilitator mode. He dished out 14 assists-a new playoff career high-and had only three turnovers in 40 minutes. As a team, the Knicks had 32 assists on 44 made field goals against six turnovers. Brunson began attacking more in the fourth, as he went 3-for-4 from the field and earned four free-throw attempts, each of which he made, to total 10 points in the final quarter.

Hart's performance showed the Knicks' depth, while Brunson's showed the team's versatility. The Cavs can only win this series if Donovan Mitchell and James Harden go big, while New York has multiple paths to victory.

Cleveland's woes from the foul line held them back

It's possible we're looking at a totally different Game 2 if the Cavaliers didn't leave so many points at the foul line. Cleveland went a frustrating 22-of-32 shooting free throws, failing to cash in on the easiest points they could get in a game where their offense was struggling. Players not named Donovan Mitchell were just 14-of-23 from the line, just barely clearing 60%.

There's no good time to go cold at the line, but the Cavaliers may have picked the worst. After the Knicks jumped out to a big lead in the third quarter, New York provided a lifeline early in the fourth, committing four early fouls to put Cleveland into the bonus with nine minutes left to play. The Cavs weren't shooting well, and points were hard to come by, but some easy points at the foul line could have swung things.

After cutting the deficit to just seven points, some decisive action towards the basket and some reliable free-throw shooting to back it up could have helped the Cavs get their comeback effort over the finish line. Instead, they weren't able to capitalize.

NBA playoffs: Knicks vs. Cavaliers Game 2 live updates, stats, scores

How the Knicks, Cavaliers got here ...

The start of the NBA playoffs was not pretty for the No. 3 seed Knicks. New York struggled early on against Atlanta, falling behind 2–1, but found its rhythm beginning in Game 4 of the opening round series. From that point forward, the Knicks have been close to unstoppable, going on a red-hot tear through round two against the 76ers.

Knicks vs. Hawks first round scores

• Game 1: Knicks 113, Hawks 102 (New York)
• Game 2: Knicks 106, Hawks 107 (New York)
• Game 3 : Knicks 108, Hawks 109 (Atlanta)
• Game 4 : Knicks 114, Hawks 98 (Atlanta)
• Game 5: Knicks 126, Hawks 97 (New York)
• Game 6 : Knicks 140, Hawks 89 (Atlanta)

Knicks vs. 76ers second round scores

• Game 1: Knicks 137, 76ers 98 (New York)
• Game 2: Knicks 108, 76ers 102 (New York)
• Game 3 : Knicks 108, 76ers 94 (Philadelphia)
• Game 4 : Knicks 144, 76ers 114 (Philadelphia)

The Cavaliers have had to scratch and claw their way to the Eastern Conference finals, and based on Game 1 in New York, things won't start coming easy to them now. They're a tough out though, as made clear by lengthy series against the Raptors and Pistons.

Cavaliers vs. Raptors first round series

• Game 1: Cavaliers 126, Raptors 113 (Cleveland)
• Game 2: Cavaliers 115, Raptors 105 (Cleveland)
• Game 3: Cavaliers 104, Raptors 126 (Toronto)
• Game 4: Cavaliers 89, Raptors 93 (Toronto)
• Game 5: Cavaliers 125, Raptors 120 (Cleveland)
• Game 6: Cavaliers 110, Raptors 112 (OT, Toronto)
• Game 7: Cavaliers 114, Raptors 102 (Cleveland)

Cavaliers vs. Pistons second round series

• Game 1: Cavaliers 101, Pistons 111 (Detroit)
• Game 2: Cavaliers 97, Pistons 107 (Detroit)
• Game 3: Cavaliers 116, Pistons 109 (Cleveland)
• Game 4: Cavaliers 112, Pistons 103 (Cleveland)
• Game 5: Cavaliers 117, Pistons 113 (OT, Detroit)
• Game 6: Cavaliers 94, Pistons 115 (Cleveland)
• Game 7: Cavaliers 125, Pistons 94 (Detroit)

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This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 3:32 PM.