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United States - The New York Knicks once again defended their home by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-93 at Madison Square Garden, going up 2-0 in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.
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The Dominican Karl-Anthony Towns had another solid performance, recording a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds, contributing to the Knicks' ninth consecutive win this postseason. The New York offensive was led by Josh Hart, who finished with 26 points and set a new personal playoff record. For his part, Jalen Brunson did not shine in scoring as usual, but compensated with 19 points and 14 assists, guiding the team's offensive rhythm. New York took definitive control in the third quarter, a stretch in which they outscored Cleveland 32-21 thanks to an intense defense and better execution in transition. "We defended very well against a very talented team," highlighted coach Mike Brown after the match. From Cleveland's side, Donovan Mitchell stood out with 26 points, although the Cavaliers had a complicated night offensively, shooting only 39% from the field and 69% from the free throw line. "I'm not worried. They did their job at home and now it's our turn to respond in Cleveland," Mitchell said after the game. Coach Kenny Atkinson lamented his team's lack of effectiveness and acknowledged that they will need to improve for the third game of the series. The Eastern final will continue this Saturday at the Rocket Arena in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers will try to react in front of their fans and avoid falling into a wider disadvantage.
