Josh Hart’s 26 lifts Knicks to 2-0 lead over Cavaliers in Eastern Conference finals

Josh Hart delivered the key development of the New York Knicks’ Eastern Conference finals push Thursday night, scoring a playoff career-high 26 points in a 109-93 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.

The victory gave New York a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series after the Knicks also took Game 1 in overtime on May 19. For a team now two wins from the NBA Finals, Hart’s breakout scoring night was the clearest sign yet of how many ways New York can pressure Cleveland.

Hart, a 31-year-old veteran wing usually valued most for his defense, energy and playmaking, finished with 26 points, four rebounds, seven assists, two steals and five made 3-pointers in about 33 minutes. He shot 10 of 21 from the field, 5 of 11 from 3-point range and 1 of 2 from the free-throw line. NBA playoff coverage identified the 26 points as Hart’s postseason career high.

That made the performance stand out beyond the raw total. Hart’s role for the Knicks is typically broader than pure scoring, and his line reflected that. He helped create offense with seven assists, spaced the floor with five 3s and added the kind of defensive activity that has defined his value throughout his career.

In a series this deep in the playoffs, those contributions carry extra weight. New York’s Game 1 overtime win gave it an early opening against Cleveland, and Hart’s Game 2 surge helped the Knicks turn that start into firm control through the first two games at home.

The scoring was especially notable because it came from a player not usually cast as the lead finisher. Hart has long been known as a connective piece — a wing who rebounds, defends multiple positions and keeps the ball moving. On Thursday, he gave the Knicks that usual all-around impact and a level of scoring punch that Cleveland could not contain.

Before the game, Hart had anticipated a strong response from the Cavaliers after their Game 1 loss.

“They’re going to come out with extreme energy, attention to detail, focus, sense of urgency and desperation,” Hart said, according to NBA coverage.

Cleveland still faces that urgency now, but the series pressure has shifted squarely in New York’s favor. Behind Hart’s career-best playoff scoring night, the Knicks protected home court again and moved ahead 2-0 in the Eastern Conference finals.