RALEIGH, N.C. — The Montreal Canadiens never flinched in winning two Game 7s on the road to reach the Eastern Conference Final. Opening on the road again was no different, even against a well-rested top seed that had yet to lose in the postseason.
The Canadiens pounced for four first-period goals on slow-starting Carolina — coming off the longest postseason break in more than a century — and beat the Hurricanes 6-2 on Thursday night.
“We knew we could come in here and try to get off to a good start to the series,” Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki said after a three-assist night. “We’re happy with the result, but they’re definitely going to be better than what they were tonight.”
Cole Caufield and Phillip Danault scored in the opening four minutes, Alexandre Texier followed four minutes later, and Ivan Demidov finished a breakaway for a shocking 4-1 lead midway through the opening period. That came against a team that hadn’t allowed more than two goals in an 8-0 playoff start.
Juraj Slafkovksy scored twice in the third period for Montreal, the second on a late empty-netter, while Jakub Dobes had 24 saves.
Game 2 is Saturday night.
The Hurricanes were the first team to sweep their first two playoff rounds since the NHL went to best-of-seven series in all four rounds in 1987. But that led to a lengthy break of 11 days, the longest rest for any team before starting the next playoff run since at least 1920, while waiting on the Canadiens to battle their way past Tampa Bay and Buffalo.
That led to the rest-versus-rust discussion about the Hurricanes, along with how well the Canadiens would pivot from those to-the-limit wins.
And outside of Seth Jarvis beating Dobes just 33 seconds in, the Canadiens answered that question resoundingly in those opening minutes to extend Carolina’s misery in this round.
“I didn’t think we were very sharp, to put it bluntly,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Our top guys had tough nights. That’s not going to work at this time of the year.”
Much of Carolina’s success comes from pressuring opponents in the offensive zone and minimizing chances going the other way. But Montreal effectively moved the puck out of danger against Carolina’s aggressive pressure early, setting up clean breakouts, open-ice space and multiple breakaway chances at Frederik Andersen.
“The execution was there right off the bat,” Canadiens center Jake Evans said.
Danault’s goal was a full-speed breakaway right up the middle off a feed from Alexandre Carrier, while Demidov went forehand-backhand-forehand to beat Andersen for the 4-1 lead with 8:28 left in the first.
Andersen was leading the postseason in goals-against average (1.12) and save percentage (.950), but finished with just 16 saves.
Eric Robinson also scored for Carolina, which is in the Eastern final for the third time in four years and fourth time in the current eight-season playoff run under Rod Brind’Amour. But the Hurricanes are now 1-13 in those games, including sweeps against Boston in 2019 and Florida in 2023.
Carolina’s loss meant the two Stanley Cup favorites both lost the opener of the conference finals. Colorado lost at home to Vegas on Wednesday night.
LAWRENCE, KANSAS - JANUARY 31: Forward AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars controls the ball as he is defended by guard Darryn Peterson #22 of the Kansas Jayhawks in the first half at Allen Fieldhouse on January 31, 2026 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The NBA Draft is getting closer, and the mixed signals are flying right and left, and it’s hard to know for sure what the Utah Jazz might do at #2. Everything obviously depends on what the Washington Wizards do at #1. The odds makers at FanDuel have the Wizards at -320 to take AJ Dybantsa with the first pick, +280 to pick Darryn Peterson with the second pick, and Cameron Boozer at +1200. If you believe those odds, then it’s clear that the Wizards are looking to take Dybantsa, but do the latest mocks have him going there? And who will the Jazz take if AJ Dybantsa isn’t on the board?
We’ve seen a lot of intel that the Jazz are high on Darryn Peterson, but we’ve also seen reports that they’re considering Cam Boozer as well. With so many different reports out there, it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s posturing from the different GMs. Let’s take a look at the most prominent mock drafts and who they have the Jazz taking.
Mock
Pick #1 – Washington Wizards
Pick #2 – Utah Jazz
Pick #3 – Memphis Grizzlies
Pick #4 – Chicago Bulls
SB Nation
AJ Dybantsa
Darryn Peterson
Cameron Boozer
Caleb Wilson
Athletic
AJ Dybantsa
Darryn Peterson
Cameron Boozer
Caleb Wilson
ESPN
AJ Dybantsa
Darryn Peterson
Cameron Boozer
Caleb Wilson
Yahoo
AJ Dybantsa
Darryn Peterson
Cameron Boozer
Caleb Wilson
The Ringer
AJ Dybantsa
Darryn Peterson
Cameron Boozer
Caleb Wilson
CBS Sports
AJ Dybantsa
Darryn Peterson
Cameron Boozer
Caleb Wilson
It appears that there is a little bit of a consensus on the top-4 picks. Normally, it seems like there’s at least some sort of deviation, but not here, not this season. This is probably what happens on draft night, but you never know when one GM makes some sort of surprise move. Maybe an individual workout goes badly, or maybe an unforeseen problem arises during a team interview. Barring anything crazy like that, it looks like Darryn Peterson is going to be on the Utah Jazz come June.
It’s an incredible win for the Utah Jazz to come out of this draft with a tier-1 prospect like Darryn Peterson. He’s considered by many to be the most talented prospect in the draft, and somehow he’s going to the Jazz at #2. In most drafts, getting the second pick can be a devastating thing. It can be the first loser of the draft type of feeling. For Utah, not this time. Darryn Peterson has the talent to be the type of offensive talent that can lead a team all the way to the Championship. On top of that, he’s joining a team that was already good enough to make the playoffs next season. It has taken time for Jazz prospects to join the starting lineup, but Peterson is so talented that it’ll be hard to justify not starting him.
It’s time to get excited, Jazz fans. This has literally never happened before, and the upcoming season looks like the beginning of a chapter with real championship potential.
After the monster game Jalen Brunson had in the Knicks' improbable comeback win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cavaliers knew they had to change their game plan.
Instead of letting Brunson do his thing and shutting down the other scorers, Cleveland focused their energy and defense on stopping the Knicks captain. That, however, also didn't work as Brunson dished a playoff career-high 14 assists in the Knicks' 109-93 Game 2 victory on Thursday night.
"That’s what great players do. They read the game and the game dictated that," Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters after the game. "Obviously, we were loaded up more toward him and he found other guys. We gotta find that balance. But 14 assists, credit to him. [We] took away some of the scoring options, blitzed him, gave him different looks. He made the right reads, right plays."
"As an MVP candidate, Jalen Brunson's job is to make the game easier for his teammates," Mike Brown said. "That's what he did."
Brunson scored two points on just 1 of 3 shooting in the first quarter, deferring to Karl-Anthony Towns (seven points) in the opening frame. The second quarter was more of the same, dishing three assists as Josh Hart and OG Anunoby scored a combined 15 points while Brunson went scoreless in the quarter on 0-for-3 shooting.
While Brunson's scoring increased in the second half (17 points on 6 of 10 shooting), he made nine assists in the third and fourth quarters.
"They were presenting two to the ball and I was able to find my teammates and they were knocking shots down," Brunson said after the game. "Just trying to create an advantage by putting two on the ball and trusting them and having them make the play."
And Brunson's teammates rewarded that trust. Hart went for a team-high, and playoff career-high, 26 points, while Towns (18), Anunoby (14) and Mikal Bridges (19) all scored in double-figures to help give the Knicks a 2-0 series lead.
"He had a huge offensive game the last game, so we knew they would come in with a different game plan," Hart said of Brunson's game. "That shows the confidence he has in us and the depth of team we have… We can win a game with him scoring 10, 12 points but having 14 assists, getting guys involved. Shows the character of the team, character of him. Shows we can win games in different ways."
"Just shows that he plays the right way. If you’re not going to send the double team, it’s an advantage for him. If you send the double team, he will read and react and find the open guy," Bridges said. "He plays the right way. Ever since I known him, he plays the right way… If you’re going to keep helping off, he’s going to make you pay and that’s what makes him great."
Game 2 gave another example of how this Knicks team has been able to adapt to any team and any scenario. It feels like forever ago that the Knicks were down 2-1 in their first-round series with the Hawks before the team started running the offense through Towns. That continued during the four-game sweep of the 76ers, and after that strategy didn't work on Cleveland in Game 1, Brunson took over to steal the victory.
And now, Brunson was the facilitator.
"It’s an advantage for us. Learning how to play differently," Brunson said of the Knicks' ability to be versatile. "There will be times where one game plan will be different from the next. Being able to adjust and adjust on the fly is something we need to continue to get better at. We just have to continue to be open to figure out how we can win the next game."
What will the Knicks do in Game 3? Whatever it is, the Cavaliers will have their hands full trying to prepare for multiple looks from Brunson and the Knicks.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had a chance to eliminate Springfield in Game 4 of the Atlantic Division Final on Thursday night, but it wasn't meant to be.
It looked like WBS took the lead in the first period with a goal by Harrison Brunicke but it was disallowed due to goalie interference. The officials felt that Gabe Klassen made contact with Springfield goaltender Georgii Romanov and took the goal away.
However, Inside AHL Hockey's Tony Androckitis noticed via replay that it was Romanov who swept Klassen's leg at the top of the crease.
Take a look:
Complete & utter nonsense from AHL officiating yet again in these 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Thunderbirds goalie Georgii Romanov sweeps the leg of Gabe Klassen atop the crease & they call off the goal due to goaltender interference.
WBS lost all the momentum after that disallowed goal and couldn't get back to its game. Springfield eventually opened the scoring in the second period, thanks to Dillon DUbe. He scored a power play goal with less than four minutes left in the middle frame.
Springfield scores on the power play, and for the first time this series the Thunderbirds have a lead.
The Thunderbirds took that one-goal lead into the third period before making it 2-0 with 13:12 left.
The Penguins couldn't get anything going for the rest of the game and ultimately lost by that same score. The series is now even at two games all, meaning there will be a winner-take-all Game 5 back in WBS on Saturday.
Whoever wins Saturday's game will advance to the Eastern Conference Final. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. ET.
NEW YORK — The Cleveland Cavaliers have a Jalen Brunson problem. As well as a James Harden problem. Plus a shooting problem. And a bench problem.
Problems like those, no matter how much coaches can sugarcoat it, can’t exactly be solved overnight, and Cleveland heads home to the shores of Lake Erie down 2-0 in the Eastern Conference finals, and they are two more dreadful performances from enjoying the early vacation spot south of the border reserved for teams that don’t meet their season’s goals.
Thursday night’s performance at Madison Square Garden, a 109-93 loss, was much more than a Game 1 hangover. With the rabid crowd screaming “Knicks in 4” as the fourth-quarter seconds wound down, New York is just two victories away from its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, when they lost in five games to the San Antonio Spurs. The Knicks' most recent championship banner is from 1973, and breaking that five-decade drought is more realistic than ever, barring a total collapse in the next week.
New York has now won nine straight playoff games. When the Boston Celtics won the 2024 title, they won 10 consecutive postseason games.
After blowing a 22-point lead in Game 1 and inexplicably using no timeouts as his team was getting blitzed to the tune of a 44-11 run over the first 12 minutes of regulation and overtime, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson was criticized for keeping timeouts for no reason, but this time in Game 2, whether he used them or not, there was nothing he could have done that would have stopped New York.
Brunson put together a 38-point masterclass in Game 1, bringing the Knicks back from the brink of an embarrassing performance. His Game 2 performance was much more subtle but no less effective, with 19 points and 14 assists.
From the outset, it was clear that Cleveland’s defensive strategy was to clamp down on Brunson and force him into getting the ball out of his hands early in the shot clock. Instead, the three-time All-Star flipped the script, dishing off to open teammates who rewarded him with their sharpshooting, and the team shot 52 percent for the night.
The beneficiaries of Brunson’s playing calm, controlled floor general instead of deadly clutch assassin were Josh Hart — who led five Knicks starters in double figures, scoring a playoff career-high 26 points and hitting five three-pointers — and Karl-Anthony Towns — with a strong 18-point, 13-rebound performance. Hart was not a factor in Game 1 and was on the bench for the most part as New York made their epic comeback.
"I don't have an ego, that got burned out of my heart a long time ago,” Hart said after the game.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown didn’t argue with that assessment.
“It's just who Josh is. He's a gamer,” Brown said. “He knew what he had to do in terms of the adjustments he needed to make in order to be effective, not just for him but for the team."
Cleveland couldn’t take advantage of several opportunities to make the game tilt in their favor. Brunson only scored two points in the first half, but Cleveland was down four going into halftime.
But the Knicks essentially put the game away with an 18-0 run in the third, led by Brunson, who started the quarter with a 3-pointer, a driving turnaround 10-foot jumper, and another layup around a flat-footed Harden.
The Cavaliers got no closer than seven points the rest of the game, and even when the Knicks went the first three and a half minutes of the fourth quarter without scoring and were in the foul bonus with nine minutes left, the shooting woes continued, and when a 3-pointer by OG Anunoby, who had 14 points, found nothing but nylon to break the scoring drought the deflated Cavaliers all but waved the white flag.
The Cavaliers shot 38.5%, including 9-35 from three, and were outscored in the paint by 18 points.
“We didn’t shoot the ball well,” an astute Atkinson said after the game. “I thought we had a lot of good looks from three. I thought our process was good. At the end of the day, you have to put the ball in the hole.”
At this point, you can pick a reason why the Cavaliers’ problems are amplified since the 7:52 mark in the fourth quarter of Game 1, where they had a 93-71 lead. Harden’s disappearing act is the most notable. He had 12 points in the first half, six in the second, and for the most part seemed uninterested in keeping any Knicks ball handler in front of him. Donovan Mitchell, who scored 26 points in the loss, can only do so much, and Cleveland’s basic four-man bench rotation went 5 for 24 from the field, not making a dent in the scoreboard during their time on the floor.
Evan Mobley got off to a hot start, scoring 14 points in the first half, including 10 in the first quarter. But that was it for his night on the offensive end, as he didn’t attempt a single shot in the second half.
With their season teetering on the brink of elimination, Cleveland needs to put together a complete Game 3 performance on Saturday, or it will be more of the same disappointing results.
José Caballero is returning from the injured list Friday, but Anthony Volpe is sticking around.
The Yankees optioned Spencer Jones to Triple-A following Thursday’s 2-0 loss to the Blue Jays, opening a spot for Caballero but keeping Volpe on the roster — albeit in an uncertain role.
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Aaron Boone had indicated that the plan is for Caballero to reclaim his starting shortstop job after missing just the minimum 10 days on the IL with a fracture in his right middle finger. That would relegate Volpe to a bench role, without any defensive versatility to play elsewhere, though evidently he showed the Yankees enough while filling in for Caballero to at least extend his stay.
“[Volpe] is doing great,” Caballero said Thursday afternoon. “It definitely means a lot to me [Boone giving a vote of confidence]. But I just want to be in there and help the team as much as I can.”
Whether the Yankees start to work Volpe out at different positions remains to be seen, though that likely would be easier to accomplish at Triple-A. Caballero has the ability to play the super-utility role, but his defense at shortstop was the best in the majors as of Thursday by Defensive Runs Saved.
Instead, Jones was the odd man out after his first two weeks in the big leagues in which the outfielder hit just 4-for-24 (.167) with 12 strikeouts and a .426 OPS. His demotion is further indication that Trent Grisham could be back in the lineup as soon as Friday after he missed Thursday’s game with left knee discomfort — though an MRI earlier in the day showed no structural damage.
“It’s a relief,” Grisham said. “Anytime you get something in your knee, I guess you’re a little worried. I was pretty optimistic with how I was feeling that there would be no structural damage. But still good to get the news.”
New York Yankees’ Spencer Jones (78) hits a single in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium, Thursday, May 21, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Grisham indicated that the imaging did show some inflammation in his knee, but said it was unrelated to Thursday’s issue. He said he has banged it multiple times this season, creating some bruising on the top of his kneecap, though Thursday he felt the discomfort on the inside of his knee.
New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) strikes out swinging during the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“I think there’s a chance he’s in there [Friday],” Boone said before Jones was sent down. “Today went pretty well, he did a number of things. We’ll move him around some more [Friday] and potentially be an option for us tomorrow.”
Without Jones, the Yankees’ fourth outfielder is now Max Schuemann or Amed Rosario, with Caballero also having played there in the past.
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Yovanny Cruz, who pitched a second straight night Thursday after not pitching back-to-back days at all with Triple-A prior to his call-up, was also optioned back to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after the game to make room on the roster for Gerrit Cole’s debut Friday.
Cruz was less effective Thursday, giving up a double and hitting a batter in one-third of an inning.
Send in your questions now for this week’s episode of The Pindown: A Detroit Pistons Podcast to discuss everything Pistons. Submit your question to the comments section here or on X/Twitter to @TheRealWesD3 and/or @blakesilverman.
Join us live on Sunday morning for the show where we’ll recap the Pistons’ series with the Cavaliers and look back at the season as a whole. What needed to change for the Pistons to win Game 7? How different are you expecting the team to look next season? Who is locked down as a part of the core for the long haul?
Plus, The Pindown has a phone line where you can leave a message and hear your voice on the show. Call (313) 355-2717 and leave us a voicemail with your question. Please try to keep the message around 45 seconds or less so we can fit everyone into the show.
The podcast will be uploaded to all audio platforms the following morning.
While the “Marty Supreme” star was courtside at Madison Square Garden, Jenner watched from the comfort of home with some chips, a bottle of wine and caviar.
“GAME NIGHT!” Jenner wrote in an Instagram Story showing off the way she was watching Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Knicks and Cavaliers.
Kylie Janner shows off her tank top before tip-off. KylieJanner/Instagram
While Jenner, a California native, has not joined Chalamet at MSG for this round, she has made plenty of appearances at The World’s Most Famous Arena with her Knicks-fan boyfriend at various times during the postseason.
She had sat courtside with Chalamet during Game 5 of the first-round series against the Hawks and was back at MSG for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the 76ers — both victories.
While Jenner hadn’t made her way to 4 Pennsylvania Plaza yet this round, she made headlines after Game 1, responding to a TikTok post by Page Six showing Chalamet walking out to his courtside seat.
Timothee Chalamet cheers on the Knicks during their Game 2 win over the Cavaliers NBAE via Getty Images
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) May 22, 2026
Fellow superfans Ben Stiller, Spike Lee and Tracy Morgan were also in attendance for the game.
Jason Sudeikis, Jason Bateman and Chris Rock were spotted courtside as well.
Kylie Jenner’s meal during Game 2. KylieJemmer/Instagram
Chalamet made sure to share some of his experience from Game 2 on his Instagram Story, including the view from his seat, a video of a bucket from Jalen Brunson and the stat line shown on the MSG video board.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill speaks during the The Center for American Progress (CAP) IDEAS Conference in Washington, DC on May 19, 2026. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Three weeks ago, at the end of a discussion of her first 100 days as governor of New Jersey at Newark’s Performing Arts Center, Mikie Sherill faced a series of rapid-fire questions from NJ.com political editor Brent Johnson. The subjects ranged from personal issues to state policy. But then a little more than an hour into the video, she faced an odd inquiry about the Brooklyn nee New Jersey Nets, long gone from Newark’s Prudential Center and before that the Byrne/Continental/IZOD Center.
Would she be interested in bringing the Nets back from Brooklyn where the team moved in 2012 after 35 years in N.J.? Yes, indeed, she told Johnson.
“I mean, would I support it? I ask about it all the time,” Sherrill said. “I love the idea. So, I have been pressing for that. I haven’t made a lot of headway yet; you know, maybe in my second 100 days.
“But I do think there is some work being done for some — I don’t know if I’m allowed to say too much about it — but some people are working on some different sports coming into the Rock.”
For some New Jersey fans, that would be a dream come true. No more commuting across two rivers! New York Knicks fans would like it too, having been tweeting for years that the city is too big for two teams.
To say that’s realistic, however, is wrong. The Nets are comfortably ensconced in the borough, about to play their 14th season at Barclays Center, the billion dollar arena that is now in the third year of a five-year, $140 million renovation. So has the governor and the Nets been in touch? Nope, according to the Nets.
“There have been no conversations with ownership or leadership and the governor or her administration and we have no plans to bring the Brooklyn Nets back to New Jersey,” a league insider told ND in what amounts to a blanket denial.
Why did the governor who’s still celebrating her political honeymoon make a commitment about what is decidedly not a big issue other than for a small minority of basketball fans? No idea, said the insider, calling the comments “very odd … “They’re perfectly happy in Brooklyn.”
What about the Long Island Nets, not so comfortably ensconced in Long Island’s Nassau Coliseum? Nope, no talks about them relocating either.
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Montreal Canadiens never flinched in winning two Game 7s on the road to reach the Eastern Conference Final. Opening on the road again was no different, even against a well-rested top seed that had yet to lose in the postseason.
The Canadiens pounced for four first-period goals on slow-starting Carolina — coming off the longest postseason break in more than a century — and beat the Hurricanes 6-2 on Thursday night.
“We knew we could come in here and try to get off to a good start to the series,” Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki said after a three-assist night. “We’re happy with the result, but they’re definitely going to be better than what they were tonight.”
Cole Caulfield celebrates after scoring a first-period goal on Frederik Anderson during the Canadiens’ 6-2 Game 1 win over the Hurricanes in Raleigh on May 21, 2026. Getty Images
Cole Caufield and Phillip Danault scored in the opening four minutes, Alexandre Texier followed four minutes later, and Ivan Demidov finished a breakaway for a shocking 4-1 lead midway through the opening period. That came against a team that hadn’t allowed more than two goals in an 8-0 playoff start.
Juraj Slafkovksy scored twice in the third period for Montreal, the second on a late empty-netter, while Jakub Dobes had 24 saves.
Game 2 is Saturday night.
The Hurricanes were the first team to sweep their first two playoff rounds since the NHL went to best-of-seven series in all four rounds in 1987. But that led to a lengthy break of 11 days, the longest rest for any team before starting the next playoff run since at least 1920, while waiting on the Canadiens to battle their way past Tampa Bay and Buffalo.
That led to the rest-versus-rust discussion about the Hurricanes, along with how well the Canadiens would pivot from those to-the-limit wins.
And outside of Seth Jarvis beating Dobes just 33 seconds in, the Canadiens answered that question resoundingly in those opening minutes to extend Carolina’s misery in this round.
Juraj Slafkovský scores past Frederik Andersen during the third period of the Canadiens’ Game 1 win over the Hurricanes. AP
“I didn’t think we were very sharp, to put it bluntly,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Our top guys had tough nights. That’s not going to work at this time of the year.”
Much of Carolina’s success comes from pressuring opponents in the offensive zone and minimizing chances going the other way. But Montreal effectively moved the puck out of danger against Carolina’s aggressive pressure early, setting up clean breakouts, open-ice space and multiple breakaway chances at Frederik Andersen.
“The execution was there right off the bat,” Canadiens center Jake Evans said.
Danault’s goal was a full-speed breakaway right up the middle off a feed from Alexandre Carrier, while Demidov went forehand-backhand-forehand to beat Andersen for the 4-1 lead with 8:28 left in the first.
Andersen was leading the postseason in goals-against average (1.12) and save percentage (.950), but finished with just 16 saves.
Eric Robinson also scored for Carolina, which is in the Eastern final for the third time in four years and fourth time in the current eight-season playoff run under Rod Brind’Amour. But the Hurricanes are now 1-13 in those games, including sweeps against Boston in 2019 and Florida in 2023.
Carolina’s loss meant the two Stanley Cup favorites both lost the opener of the conference finals. Colorado lost at home to Vegas on Wednesday night.
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 21: Donovan Mitchell #45, James Harden #1 ,Max Strus #2 and Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers talk during the game against the New York Knicks during Game 2 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 21, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Mitchell doesn’t look right. Or left, when he has the ball. He only looks up towards the rim.
Jokes aside, Mitchell genuinely doesn’t look right physically. He’s as limited as I’ve ever seen him, hardly getting any burst or upward lift on his drives. That’s made it near impossible for him to get to his spots against a rangy Knicks defense.
Outside of that, decision-making remains a blemish. Mitchell ended the night with only 1 assist, something that just isn’t good enough at this stage of the game.
Harden is unplayable defensively. The Knicks can get anything they want when he’s out there. I wrote more about that here.
This is something Harden has somewhat made up for with his offense in years past. But that’s fallen apart in this series. He only had 2 assists tonight as the Knicks made an effort to take away the paint and force Harden to create plays. He couldn’t.
Grade: F
Evan Mobley
14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks
Mobley had 10 points in the first quarter. He scored 4 points the rest of the way and only attempted 8 shots on the night.
Everyone deserves blame.
We can acknowledge that New York made it a point of emphasis to take Mobley away from the ball. They clogged passing lanes and did everything they could to avoid letting him catch it on the roll. That puts a limit on what Mobley can do.
However, it’s an indictment on everyone that Mobley wasn’t involved in other ways. Inverted screens, operating at the elbow. Literally anything. This type of stuff can’t happen, yet it continues to plague them.
Grade: B-
Jarrett Allen
13 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks
Similar to Game 1, Allen was holding his end of the deal by winning the physicality battle and eating on the offensive glass.
The Cavs won the offensive rebounding battle 13-5. Allen had as many offensive boards as the Knicks. It didn’t matter.
Cleveland hasn’t been able to feed Allen consistently. He’s been spaced out, hiding in the dunker’s spot while his guards dribble, dribble, and dribble the game away.
Grade: B–
Dean Wade
3 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists
Wade looks more ready to shoot than he did at any point in the Raptors or Pistons series. That didn’t help them much tonight as he went 1-3 from downtown. But it’s better than pumpfaking air and stopping the entire offense.
Grade: C-
Max Strus
5 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
Strus hasn’t had his moment in this series. He struggled to score in Game 1 and shot just 1-7 from the floor tonight (1-4 from deep). I expect him to find his range at some point, but for now, the Cavs are sorely missing his shooting.
Grade: D+
Dennis Schroder
4 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists
Schroder and Jaylon Tyson were the only Cavaliers to play 10+ minutes and avoid a negative plus/minus. They both ended as zeros.
I think Schroder helps the Cavs in spots where the backcourt is struggling to make reads. But that’s a problem in and of itself.
Grade: D+
Sam Merrill
4 points
This was a brutal game for Merrill. He went 0-7 from deep, and it wasn’t like he was taking difficult shots. Most of them were clean looks.
Grade: F
Jaylon Tyson
4 points, 3 rebounds
Tyson got his first chance in this series and didn’t do much with it. He had a brief moment in the second half, where his hustle and off-ball activity provided a boost. But that moment was fleeting.
There’s room for Tyson to assert himself in this series if he can take advantage of his minutes. Going 0-3 from the corner isn’t going to cut it.
New York didn't save its heroics for the final minutes of the game on Thursday — it got its work out of the way in the third.
The Knicks took charge of the game — and the Eastern Conference Finals — with an 18-0 run in the third quarter, where Cleveland went scoreless for 5:30 of game time. Meanwhile, Josh Hart turned around his struggles in Game 1 to knock down five 3-pointers and score a playoff career-high 26 on Thursday night.
New York led 85-70 after three quarters, and the only question left was whether the Cavaliers had a Knicks-like comeback in them.
They didn't. Cleveland did make a little run, but Mike Brown called a timeout to reset his team — something Kenny Atkinson did not do in Game 1 — and New York took control again.
In the end it was a 109-93 New York win that puts it up 2-0 in the series and puts pressure on Cleveland to hold serve on their home court.
Game 3 is in Cleveland on Saturday.
With Hart hitting everything, the much-maligned Knicks starting five — Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns — played heavy minutes and had a +27.7 net rating for the game.
Brunson scored just two points in the first half but took charge and started to manufacture points in the third, including a pull-up 3-pointer over Dean Wade, then soon after hit a runner over Wade, plus had a steal that became a Bridges dunk in transition. Brunson finished with 19 points and 14 assists on the night.
Bridges added 19 points and Towns scored 18.
Cleveland struggled on offense all night. Donovan Mitchell was playing through some pain and shot 8-of-18 on his way to 26 points, and James Harden didn't pick him up (18 points on 6-of-15 shooting). Evan Mobley had 14 points in the first half but was scoreless in the second.
Like Game 1, the Cavaliers raced out to an early lead, getting up by six midway through the first quarter, in part because they started 4-of-7 from 3-point range while the Knicks were 1-of-6. At the end of one quarter, it was a 27-24 Cleveland lead, as the Knicks' offense once again looked stuck in the mud.
That changed in the second quarter because New York became really aggressive on drives as evidenced by its 30 points in the paint. Towns led that charge with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting because he got downhill, and Josh Hart was aggressive and had 12 first-half points.
Then came the Knicks' run in the third, and that was the game.
New York picked apart Cleveland's defense on its way to a 123.9 offensive rating for the meaningful part of the game, with a 59.4 eFG%. When Cleveland started throwing double-teams at Brunson, he picked them apart with his passing, and Hart and Towns finished the plays.
Cleveland needs to find its energy from the first half of Game 1 — or, better yet, Game 7 against Detroit last series — or this Eastern Conference Finals could end quickly.
Evan Mobley, who struggled after a quick start, drives on Mitchell Robinson during the Knicks' 109-93 Game 2 blowout win over the Cavaliers on May 21, 2026 at the Garden.
The Cavaliers dared Josh Hart to beat them, and he obliged. After getting benched at the end of Game 1, and starting cold in Game 2, the gritty Hart found his shot.
He made five 3-pointers and scored a team-high 26 points, along with seven assists, four rebounds and two steals.
Zero
At halftime, Evan Mobley was on his way to a monster game, tallying 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting.
Then he vanished, going scoreless over the final 24 minutes as the Knicks ran away and hid from his Cavaliers.
Somehow, Mobley didn’t take a single shot over the final two quarters. He was getting in plenty of cardio.
Evan Mobley, who struggled after a quick start, drives on Mitchell Robinson during the Knicks’ 109-93 Game 2 win over the Cavaliers on May 21, 2026 at the Garden. AP
Unsung hero
Jalen Brunson doesn’t have to pile up points to make a difference.
The Cavaliers took away the Knicks’ top offensive weapon, so he served the role of playmaker to a tee, dishing out a career playoff-high 14 assists. Brunson also scored 19 points.
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Key stats
221 — The Knicks’ positive point differential, the highest of any team through the first 12 games of a postseason.
Quote
“He’s the perfect example for any basketball player who wants to learn how to truly impact the winning of a team, and he does that at the highest level.”
The Mets announced that RHP Tobias Myers will start Friday's series opener against the Marlins in Miami.
Myers, 27, has not started a game this season, but Mets manager Carlos Mendoza had left the possibility open to use the reliever in that role following the injury to Clay Holmes. However, the Mets skipper said it would be tricky to get Myers stretched out to go deep into games.
Myers was getting warmed up in the bullpen in the eighth inning if the Mets tacked on runs, but Devin Williams was called on to complete the save in Thursday's series finale.
He last appeared in a game on May 18 against the Nationals, where he pitched 1.1 innings while throwing 25 pitches.
Myers has starting experience, 32 career starts, but has been used as the long man in the Mets bullpen.
The right-hander told SNY's Chelsea Janes last Friday in the aftermath of Holmes' injury that no one had approached him about replacing Holmes in the rotation, but confirmed that he's not stretched out enough that he can start.
“At the moment, I’m [not stretched out to where I could start]. Maybe 35, 40 pitches,” Myers told Janes.
The Mets pulled prospect Jonah Tong from his Syracuse start earlier this week and Mendoza said that the right-hander is "in play" to be called up for the Miami series. It looks unlikely Tong will be called up now, but fans will have to wait until game time to find out.
New York will start their series with the Marlins on Friday at 7:10 p.m.
May 21, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) reacts after making a basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second quarter of game two of the eastern conference finals of the 2026 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
We knew it before the series started, and tonight we saw the proof again: the Cavaliers just can’t match the offensive depth of New York.
While Cleveland relied on Donovan Mitchell (26 PTS), the husk of James Harden, and their two big men, all five Knicks starters logged double-digit points. Late into the fourth quarter, Jalen Brunson had recorded just 11 points, but it didn’t matter. The captain finished with 19 points and 14 dimes, while his roomie was busy bossing around the Cavs and taking his turn in the spotlight. Playing incredibly well at both ends, Josh Hart set a new personal postseason best with 26 points (10-21 FG, 5-11 3PT), plus seven assists, four boards, and two steals.
Not to be outdone, Karl-Anthony Towns logged his eighth double-double of these playoffs (18 points, 13 boards), and their diabolically defending wings combined for 33 points on 14-of-20 shooting. Although the visitors held a six-point lead at times in the first half, everything post-intermission belonged to the hosts. When the final buzzer buzzed, New York had won 109-93 and secured a 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The game started off alright. All in the first minute, Jalen Brunson swished a floater, Mikal Bridges stole an inbounds pass, and Karl-Anthony Towns sank a three. The Garden ruptured eardrums with their vociferous vocalizations.
Cleveland responded, however. They capitalized on Knicks’ misses and miscues while also getting Evan Mobley cooking early. Their skipper, Kenny Atkinson, gave the frontcourt some notes after New York schooled his bigs on Tuesday. Early tonight, they outrebounded the Knicks, and Evan Mobley led the Cavs with 10 first-quarter points.
Meanwhile, New York’s long-range shooting was frosty again. They missed five of their first six attempts while the guests converted three-quarters of theirs. New York’s ball movement was good, but Cleveland’s defense kept up. Luckily for us, OG Anunoby exists. His defense was equal to—if not better than—his opponents’, and his steal from Dean Wade became two easy points midway through Q1.
Rest assured, the hamstring seems fine. OG sprinted up the court like a gazelle.
New York’s bench provided a lift, with Landry Shamet stealing from Sam Merrill and Deuce McBride hitting a triple—his first points of the series. Donovan Mitchell waited until the final seconds to make his first bucket, a three that gave Cleveland a 27-24 advantage at the buzzer.
In the second quarter, Jose Alvarado joined the fray to give Brunson a blow. With Cap resting, Towns carried the Knicks offensively early in the quarter. He knocked down a three and scored inside. Bridges continued to make life hell for James Harden, and when The Beard managed to fight his way to the cup, there was Mitchell Robinson to stuff him back.
At the other end, Bridges was a menace, too, making nearly all his shots to reach double digits early.
Cleveland ratcheted up its defense. Mobley blocked Towns at the rim, Mitchell swatted away a McBride three-point attempt, and Dennis Schröder finished a driving layup during a Cavaliers run.
Neither team surrendered much ground. At the midway point, coach Mike Brown went with four starters and Robinson at center. Cleveland went ahead, and New York tied the score; the Cavs inched forward, then New York leapfrogged them. Hart finally converted from the outfield to secure a five-point lead. When Harden hit from deep, the score was knotted yet again.
The Cavaliers guarded Brunson well, limiting him to just two points on six field-goal attempts in his first 19 minutes. The Knicks have so many riches, though. With JB stymied, Hart scored eight points in the quarter to give the good guys a 53-49 halftime lead.
Through the first half, Cleveland missed six more shots than our heroes yet stayed competitive by outrebounding them by seven and hauling in eight offensive boards to New York’s zero. The Knicks shot fine from the field (56%), but missing 8 of 11 from deep prevented them from blowing the lid off this sucker. Each team protected the ball, committing just three turnovers apiece despite the dogged defense. Mobley led all scorers with 14 points, while KAT was a close second with 13.
Jarrett Allen and Spida scored four points to kick off the second half. Then the ‘Nova kids tore off on an 18-0 run, with nine points from Hart, seven points from Brunson, and two from Bridges. An apoplectic Atkinson nearly snapped his hair like twigs while his club went dry for five-and-a-half minutes and fell behind by almost 20.
Spida contributed a few buckets but received little support from his cohort. With Harden on the bench, picking lint out of his facial hair, you have to wonder if maybe Donovan misses Darius Garland from time to time.
Not only were the Knicks scorching the nets from every distance, but they protected the ball. In the quarter, they committed no turnovers but forced four, outscored the guests 32-18, and closed the frame with an 85-70 lead.
To start the fourth, New York missed seven shots and committed four fouls, allowing Mitchell, Merrill, and Jaylon Tyson to cut the gap to seven points.
When Jordan Clarkson committed a loose-ball foul on Tyson, New York was in the penalty with nine minutes still to play.
The teams traded buckets, and Brown needed a timeout. The Cavs couldn’t muster the stuff to mount a comeback like New York did on Tuesday. With Harden and Schröder whiffing, Bridges and Anunoby combined for eight points to push the lead to 13 with six minutes left.
Mitchell was huffing and puffing; Allen, Harden, and Strus bricked again; and in a flash, the differential was 19 with under three minutes left. Towns fouled Harden on a drive that resulted in an and-one. That gave us a moment’s pause. But Cleveland was beat in so many ways. Bridges scored, Spida missed, and Brunson hit a six-foot dagger to restore the 18-point advantage with 1:30 left. From there, both coaches sent in the subs to mop it up, and a beautiful night of basketball drew to its conclusion.
Up Next
Professor Miranda has a recap for your ear, and this series is headed to Ohio. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
