The Cleveland Cavaliers are in serious trouble. The New York Knicks blasted them 109-93 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday night, pushing Cleveland into a daunting 0-2 series deficit. The Knicks are now two wins away from their first NBA Finals appearance since they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in 1999.
An 18-0 third-quarter run completely dismantled the Cavaliers. Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart triggered the avalanche for New York, erasing any momentum Cleveland carried out of the locker room. Donovan Mitchell managed 26 points, and James Harden chipped in 18, but it wasn’t enough to stop the bleeding. The Cavaliers also shot themselves in the foot at the line, missing 10 free-throw attempts to finish at a dismal 68.8 percent. For a detailed breakdown of the 109-93 final score and player reactions, check the AP News recap.
The seeds of this turbulent weekend were planted during the series opener. Cleveland blew a 22-point fourth-quarter lead in Game 1, ultimately falling 115-104 in overtime. James Harden’s defensive struggles against Brunson were a major factor in that collapse.
Now the series shifts to Cleveland for Game 3 tonight. Mitchell remains defiant despite the hole they are in, and despite lingering questions about a potential leg injury sustained during Game 1. As noted in Fox Sports’ tracking of Mitchell’s health status, Cleveland is desperately searching for a strategy shift to slow down the New York backcourt.
“Nothing to hang our head about,” Mitchell said following the loss. “They protected home court, and we’ve seen this before so we’re going to go to Game 3.”
The pressure on Cleveland is immense. They are staring down a 0-2 deficit for the second consecutive playoff round, according to ESPN’s analysis of Mitchell and the Cavaliers’ current predicament. New York protected their home floor, and now the Cavaliers must do the exact same tonight to keep their season alive.