3 Reasons Why Cavaliers Dropped Game 2 to Knicks

The Cleveland Cavaliers find themselves down 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals after a lackluster game two against the New York Knicks.

May 21, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives to the basket against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) and center Mitchell Robinson (23) and guard Landry Shamet (44) during the third quarter of game two of the eastern conference finals during the 2026 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers fell to the New York Knicks 109-93 in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden.

With the loss, the Cavaliers fell behind in the series 0-2 and will have to pick up one of the next two games in Cleveland to prolong their season. 

Cavaliers Start Slow Once Again

Cleveland started poorly, falling behind 5-0 within a minute of the opening tip, but were able to battle back and took a 27-24 lead into the second quarter.

The wheels started to come off for Cleveland in the second quarter, as the Knicks took a 53-49 lead into the halftime break.

Cleveland continued to fall off in the second half, and the Knicks led comfortably for most of the fourth quarter.

Cleveland Shooting Woes Continued in Game Two

The Cavaliers shot poorly from beyond the arc and the offense stagnated at multiple times. Cleveland shot 26 percent from three.

Not only did Cleveland shoot poorly from three but from the free throw line as well, as they went 22-32 from the stripe. 

Knicks had Wide Open Looks From Three Throughout Game Two

Perhaps the most shocking display from game two was the Cavaliers defense. Too often were Knicks players finding themselves wide open beyond the arc for an open look, and the Cavaliers allowed too many uncontested layups. The Cavaliers lost contain on Josh Hart multiple times, as he went 5-11 from beyond the arc. 

The Knicks were able to spread out their scoring more than Cleveland, as all five Knicks starters logged more than 14 points, while three out of the five Cleveland starters logged 14 points or less. Donovan Mitchell carried the weight on his back, logging 26 points in 39 minutes of playing time. 

Evan Mobley logged 14 points in the loss, with all of his points coming in the first half. The Cavaliers were unable to find Mobley in the second half, as Mobley finished the game with a +5 floor differential. 

Sam Merrill became a folk legend for his performance in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Pistons, but struggled in game two against the Knicks. Merrill logged 23 minutes of playing time, but only managed four points while going 0-7 from three. 

The Cavaliers will look to defend home court, as they will play game three against the Knicks on Sunday, with opening tip scheduled for 8:00 P.M.