The New York Knicks are one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance in 25 years after dismantling the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-93 Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, extending their postseason winning streak to nine games.
Josh Hart put on a shooting clinic with a playoff career-high 26 points, drilling five three-pointers and adding seven assists. The performance came after Hart had been left on the bench for much of Game 1's dramatic comeback, prompting him to prove his importance to the Knicks' push toward the championship.
Jalen Brunson orchestrated the offense with 19 points and 14 assists, his highest assist total of the playoffs. Mikal Bridges contributed 19 points while Karl-Anthony Towns grabbed 13 rebounds to go with 18 points as the Knicks controlled the game from start to finish.
The decisive blow came in the third quarter when New York unleashed an 18-0 run that pushed their lead to 71-53, effectively ending any Cavaliers comeback hopes. The MSG crowd was already looking ahead, with fans chanting "Knicks in four!" in the final moments as starters headed to the bench.
Hart, who shot just 26.7% from three-point range entering the game, had visibly frustrated himself early after missing his first three attempts. He bit his jersey and bounced the ball hard multiple times in frustration but refused to stop shooting. The strategy paid off as he found his rhythm and kept firing away.
"I knew I had to just keep shooting and if I did that I'd be good," Hart said after the game.
Coach Mike Brown praised Hart's turnaround performance, calling it a strong game when the Knicks needed it most. The victory represents a two-game sweep of home games heading into Cleveland for Game 3 on Saturday.
Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 26 points but struggled early, finishing the first half with just seven points. James Harden added 18 points for Cleveland, which now faces a familiar challenge after falling into a 2-0 hole against a division opponent in back-to-back rounds.
The Cavaliers' free-throw shooting hurt their comeback chances. Cleveland missed 10 free throws and finished at just 68.8% from the line, a rarity for a team that has been excellent at the charity stripe throughout the season.
The Knicks' nine-game winning streak is the longest postseason streak in the NBA since the Boston Celtics won 10 straight on their way to the 2024 championship. New York last reached the Finals in 1999 when they lost to the San Antonio Spurs.
Karl-Anthony Towns downplayed the lead despite the dominant performance. "In our mind it's 0-0. We've got to win the next game. It's the most important game of the year and that's how we treat it," Towns said, reflecting the team's focus on closing out the series rather than celebrating the advantage.
Author James Rodriguez: "Hart's refusal to stop shooting despite early misses was the difference, and it exposed Cleveland's defensive gamble to leave him open. The Knicks are playing championship-level basketball right now."
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