Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers Match Player Stats: Full Box Score Breakdown

Most box scores bury the story under 20 columns of numbers. You scroll, squint, and still can’t tell who actually won the game. This page fixes that. Our Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers match player stats guide breaks the Knicks’ 109-93 win into quarter scores, player tables, and the exact run that decided it.

Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers Match Player Stats at a Glance

The Knicks beat the Cavaliers 109-93 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, May 21, 2026. It was Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and it gave New York a 2-0 series lead.

Quarter-by-Quarter Scoring

Cleveland won the first quarter. New York won the other three, and the third quarter broke the game open.

The Knicks led 53-49 at halftime. They outscored Cleveland 32-21 after the break’s opening minutes, and the Cavaliers never recovered.

Team Stats That Explain the Gap

Shooting accuracy decided this game. The Knicks made more of their shots, and Cleveland wasted chances at the free-throw line.

Cleveland missed 10 free throws. Those empty trips mattered most when the Cavaliers cut the lead to single digits in the fourth quarter. These team numbers give the Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers match player stats their context.

Knicks Player Stats: Hart, Brunson, Bridges and Towns

New York’s balance shows up clearly in the Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers match player stats. Four players scored 18 or more.

Hart set a playoff career high with his 26 points. Brunson scored only two points in the first half, then took over after the break.

Cavaliers Player Stats: Mitchell Leads a Losing Effort

Cleveland’s side of the Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers match player stats starts and ends with Mitchell. He scored 26 points, but he managed just seven before halftime.

Mobley shot well, and Allen posted a double-double. The bench and wing scoring never arrived, so Cleveland had no answer once the Knicks pulled away.

Special Moments, Step by Step

These moments tell the game’s story in order. The play-by-play log shows each one.

1. Fast Knicks start. Brunson hit a floater, and Towns buried a three off an Anunoby assist for a 5-0 lead.
2. Cleveland answers. Mobley’s threes and Allen’s putbacks gave the Cavaliers a 17-11 lead midway through the first quarter.
3. Mitchell’s buzzer-beater. His step-back three as the quarter ended made it 27-24 Cleveland.
4. Hart’s late-half three. His shot with 30 seconds left gave New York a 53-47 edge, and the Knicks went to halftime up 53-49.
5. Cavaliers tie it. Mitchell’s floater early in the third quarter made it 53-53.
6. The 18-0 run. Brunson hit a three, and Hart added two more. The Knicks led 71-53 with about five and a half minutes left in the third.
7. Fourth-quarter scare. Cleveland trimmed the deficit to 88-80 with just under eight minutes to play.
8. Knicks close the door. Bridges, Anunoby and Brunson scored on five straight possessions, and the lead grew to 19 before the final buzzer made it 109-93.

Hart’s frustration also stood out. After his third straight missed three early on, he bit his jersey and slammed the ball down. He kept shooting and finished 5-of-11 from deep.

Top Player of the Game: Josh Hart

Hart earns the top spot in the Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers match player stats. He led all scorers alongside Mitchell, handed out seven assists, and punished a Cleveland defense that left him open from three.

Mitchell matched Hart’s points, but Hart’s efficiency and playmaking gave New York more. The Knicks also won their ninth straight playoff game.

How the Series Unfolded: Knicks Sweep 4-0

Game 2 is one chapter in a four-game story. The Knicks won every game, and Brunson earned Eastern Conference Finals MVP honors in a unanimous vote.

In Game 1, Brunson scored 38 points and led a fourth-quarter comeback from 22 down. In Game 4, Towns posted 19 points and 14 rebounds. The sweep sent New York to its first NBA Finals since 1999.

How to Read Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers Match Player Stats Like an Analyst

You can read any box score faster with five checks:

• Compare shooting percentages first. A 13-point gap in field-goal accuracy (51.8% vs 38.8%) usually decides a game.
• Check free throws. Missed free throws hide inside the score. Cleveland left 10 points on the line.
• Look at assists next to points. Brunson’s 14 assists show he created offense even while scoring 19.
• Watch the plus-minus. It shows who helped during their minutes, not just who scored.
• Scan offensive rebounds. Cleveland won this category 13-5, yet still lost, which proves shot quality matters more.

Use the same five checks on every Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers match player stats page you read.

Next Knicks–Cavaliers Games to Watch

The two teams meet twice early in the 2026-27 regular season, according to the NBA schedule. Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers match player stats from those games will show whether the playoff pattern holds.

Confirm tip-off times on the official NBA schedule before game day, since broadcast windows can shift.

How We Sourced These Stats

Every figure in these Knicks vs Cleveland Cavaliers match player stats comes from official box scores and recaps. We cross-checked the numbers across three primary sources:

• CBS Sports gametracker with the AP recap and full play-by-play for Game 2
• Basketball-Reference box score for the Game 4 result and series record
• ESPN game recap for the series scoreboard

We wrote the analysis ourselves. We only list a stat when a primary source confirms it.

Your Next Step: Track the Rematch

The Knicks proved in May that balance beats star power. Bookmark this page, then compare it with the box scores from the November 7 and November 11 meetings. Share it with the friend who argues Mitchell outplayed Hart, and let the numbers settle the debate.