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Knicks Extend Playoff Streak to Nine, Beat Cavs

5/22/2026

38 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Knicks Extend Streak

New York Knicks beat Cleveland Cavaliers 109-93 in Game 2, giving them ninth straight playoff win—the longest streak since Boston Celtics’ ten straight in 2024.
Josh Hart posted a career-high 26 points while Jalen Brunson added 19 points and 14 assists.
An 18-0 run, started by Brunson’s three-pointer, pushed the lead to 71-53.
Cleveland shot 37%, went 9-for-35 from three, missed 10 of 32 attempts, and trails 2-0, needing a Game 3 win.

Summary

Knicks Spark Surge

The Knicks’ rotation shifted when Jarrett Allen guarded Josh Hart and Landry Shamet entered, sparking the third-quarter surge.
Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson faced criticism for leaving James Harden in the lineup and delaying a timeout until the Knicks’ comeback.
The Knicks were –6.5 favorites with a 216.5 over/under, had Donovan Mitchell as the “Best Bet” at +140 to score over 30 points, and sold playoff tickets on Stub Hub.

Summary

SportsLine Over

SportsLine's Projection Model forecasts a 220-point total and predicts the Over will hit in 56.3 % of 10,000 simulated possessions.
The Over has covered in sixteen of twenty-six playoff games involving the Cavaliers and Knicks, hitting in seven of the Knicks’ last eight Thursday matchups.
The Cavaliers average 119.5 points per game (fourth in the league) while the Knicks average 116.5 points per game (tenth).

History

Historical Context

In 1996 the Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan and coached by Phil Jackson, extended a 13-game playoff winning streak to capture their second straight NBA title. Their 72-10 regular-season record and back-to-back championships made them only the fourth team ever to repeat, echoing the dominance that Dream Team members had shown in 1992.

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Knicks Extend Streak

New York Knicks beat Cleveland Cavaliers 109-93 in Game 2, giving them ninth straight playoff win—the longest streak since Boston Celtics’ ten straight in 2024.
Josh Hart posted a career-high 26 points while Jalen Brunson added 19 points and 14 assists.
An 18-0 run, started by Brunson’s three-pointer, pushed the lead to 71-53.
Cleveland shot 37%, went 9-for-35 from three, missed 10 of 32 attempts, and trails 2-0, needing a Game 3 win.

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