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James Harden remains the face of postseason failure, shooting under 36 percent from the field (under 27 percent on 3-pointers) with more turnovers (six) than assists (five) through the first two games of the Eastern Conference finals.
Donovan Mitchell remains the face of a franchise that repeatedly fails to reach its potential, responding to Cleveland’s Game 1 collapse — in which he made one shot over the final 17 minutes — by scoring seven first-half points in Game 2.
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He didn’t make his presence felt until the Cavs fell into a double-digit hole in the second half, also leaving Madison Square Garden with more turnovers (five) than assists (four) after two games.
Karl-Anthony Towns forces James Harden into an off-balanced shot during the Knicks’ 109-93 Game 2 win over the Cavaliers on May 21, 2026 at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The Cavaliers, who became one of the league’s top-rated offenses after trading for Harden in February, now head back to Cleveland with the sting of Thursday’s 109-93 loss, still seeking an offensive breakthrough against a Knicks defense that has now held opponents under 100 points on six occasions during their dominant postseason run.
Over the past 65 minutes of play — beginning with the fourth quarter of Game 1 — the Knicks have allowed only 116 points, having held Cleveland to 39 percent shooting in Game 2, including 26 percent (9-for-35) on 3-pointers.
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During the Knicks’ nine-game winning streak, they have allowed an average of 98.8 points. And through 12 games, the Knicks have posted the second-best defensive NET rating in the postseason, barely behind the Victor Wembanyama-led Spurs.
“Our defense was pretty good, especially when you have the talent that they have and the All-Stars that they have and the shooting that they have,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “We just have to keep mixing up what we do. Our guys did a pretty good job of trying to pay attention and lock in on the details on the defensive end.”
A frustrated Donovan Mitchell looks on during the Knicks’ Game 2 win over the Cavaliers. Charles Wenzelberg /…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/knicks-resurgent-defense-shuts-down-063710025.html
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Publish date : 2026-05-22 06:37:00
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