Knicks advance to NBA Finals with 109-93 win over Cavaliers

The New York Knicks secured a 2-0 lead in the NBA Eastern Conference finals, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-93 on Thursday night. The decisive third quarter saw the Knicks erupt for an explosive 18-0 run, taking control of the game and ultimately securing their ninth consecutive win.

Josh Hart led the charge with a playoff career-high 26 points, complemented by Jalen Brunson’s 19 points and 14 assists. Mikal Bridges added 19 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 18 points and 13 rebounds. The Knicks’ victory marked the NBA’s longest postseason winning streak since the Boston Celtics won 10 consecutive games en route to their 2024 championship.

The Cavaliers struggled from the free throw line, missing 10 shots in the game and finishing at 68.8%. Donovan Mitchell scored 26 points, while James Harden added 18 for Cleveland. The team will host Game 3 on Saturday, facing a daunting task of climbing out of a 2-0 deficit.

In the post-game press conference, Knicks coach Mike Brown praised Hart’s performance, saying “Just a whale of a game from Josh.” Towns echoed this sentiment, stating that his team treats each game as equally important, regardless of the score. Mitchell acknowledged that the Cavaliers had nothing to be ashamed of, but emphasized their need to regroup and prepare for Game 3.

The Knicks’ victory marked their second consecutive year in the Eastern Conference finals, with their last championship appearance coming in 1999 against the San Antonio Spurs. Brunson led the comeback in Game 1, scoring 38 points and setting a new playoff high for assists. Hart bounced back from a disappointing performance in Game 1, shooting 5-11 from three-point range and providing seven assists.

Source: Al Jazeera