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The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks met for game two of the first round of the playoffs after the Knicks stole game one in Cleveland.
The game started with a 10-4 Knicks run, very similar to the start of game one of the series, but unlike game one the Cavaliers had an answer for the Knicks in the first half and for the rest of the game, winning by a final score 107-90.
The first was the story of Darius Garland, Garland who was playing in his second playoff game had 26 points at the end of the first half, and the rest of the starters for the Cavaliers had 17 points.
Garland finished the game with 32 points and made six threes in the game. Garland in game one finished the game with one assist, but tonight had seven.
Caris LeVert stepped up for the Cavs tonight after struggling in game one, in game two LeVert finished the game with 24 points off the bench tonight for the Cavs.
Donovan Mitchell took a back seat tonight for Garland, and unlike game one did not have to do all the scoring by himself, in tonight’s win Mitchell scored 17 points and had 13 assist in his 39 minutes of play.
Evan Mobley after struggling in his first playoff game, stepped up his game and ended the game with 13 points to go with 13 rebounds.
Despite the loss Julius Randle continued his strong start to the series, finishing game two with 22 points, and at the end of the game took a hard foul from Cavs center Jarrett Allen, and after shooting his foul shots Randle ended up going to the locker room with two minutes left in the game.
Jalen Brunson also continued his hot start to the series, finishing today’s game with 20 points, the Knicks did not get much help from there. Only two other players on the Knicks tonight scored in double digits. R.J. Barrett with 14 and Immanuel Quickley with 12 points.
The series now heads to New York, for the second time in the last three years the Knicks will be playing a playoff game in New York, and unlike 2021 with the COVID restrictions it will be a full house in Madison Square Garden.
The Cavs need to continue what worked for them tonight and try to steal a game in New York to come back to Cleveland tied at 2 games a piece.
