NBA 2026 · ECF · Game 2 · Final
Knicks 109 – Cavaliers 93
Hart's Career Night, NY Lead 2-0
By Roan·Sportslnv.com·May 21, 2026·4-min read
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Title: Knicks vs Cavaliers Game 2 ECF 2026 Recap — Hart 26pts Career High, NY Wins 109-93, Lead 2-0
Meta: Knicks beat Cavaliers 109-93 in ECF Game 2. Josh Hart playoff career-high 26pts, Brunson 19pts & 14 assists. MSG crowd chants 'Knicks in 4'. Full recap & box score.
Slug:
knicks-vs-cavaliers-game-2-ecf-2026-recap · Keyword: Knicks vs Cavaliers Game 2 recap 2026Key Takeaways — Game 2 Final
- Final: New York Knicks 109 — Cleveland Cavaliers 93 · NY leads ECF 2-0
- Josh Hart: 26 points — playoff career-high · 10-21 FG · 5-11 from 3 · 7 assists
- Jalen Brunson: 19 pts + 14 assists — controlled every crunch time moment
- 18-0 scoring run in Q3 (53-53 → 71-56) completely broke Cleveland's spirit
- KAT: 18 pts + 13 rebounds · Mikal Bridges: 19 pts
- MSG crowd chanting "Knicks in 4" as final seconds ticked off
- Game 3: Sunday May 24 · Cleveland · 7:30pm ET · ESPN
Josh Hart celebration — MSG Game 2
Upload: NBA.com / Getty · 1200×630px recommended
alt="Josh Hart celebrates playoff career-high 26 points Knicks vs Cavaliers ECF Game 2 2026 MSG"
Josh Hart delivered a playoff career-high 26 points — exactly the complementary performance that makes the Knicks so dangerous. Photo: NBA.com / Getty Images
NBA · 2026 ECF · Game 2 · Madison Square Garden, New York
FINAL
CLE
Cleveland Cavaliers
0-2 series
93–109
Final · May 21, 2026 · ESPN
NYK
New York Knicks
2-0 series
Box Score
By Quarter
Injuries
Series
Top performers — Game 2
JH
Josh Hart
NYK · SG
26 pts · 7 ast 🔥 Career High
JB
Jalen Brunson
NYK · PG
19 pts · 14 ast
MB
Mikal Bridges
NYK · SF
19 pts
KAT
Karl-Anthony Towns
NYK · C
18 pts · 13 reb
DM
Donovan Mitchell
CLE · SG
26 pts — best on CLE
JH2
James Harden
CLE · PG
18 pts · 6 ast
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLE Cavaliers | 26 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 93 |
| NYK Knicks | 24 | 28 | 35 | 22 | 109 |
Key: NYK 18-0 run in Q3 (53-53 → 71-56) sealed the game · Source: NBA.com
Evan Mobley (CLE)
Knee — played limited minutes
OG Anunoby (NYK)
Hamstring — returning, playing through
Updated: May 21, 2026 · Source: NBA.com
Game 1 · May 19 · MSG
NYK 115 – CLE 104 (OT)
Game 2 · May 21 · MSG · FINAL ✓
NYK 109 – CLE 93
Game 3 · May 24 · Cleveland
7:30pm ET · ESPN
Game 4 · May 26 · Cleveland
TBD
The Garden Chants "Knicks in 4" — And They Might Not Be Wrong
26
Hart points
Playoff career-high 🔥
14
Brunson assists
+ 19 pts
18-0
Q3 scoring run
53-53 → 71-56
44
CLE 2nd-half pts
Completely shut down
The New York Knicks did not need a comeback this time. Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals was a statement — controlled, dominant, and punctuated by a Madison Square Garden crowd chanting "Knicks in 4" as the Cavaliers shuffled off the court 16 points down.
Josh Hart was the story. After a quiet Game 1, the Knicks guard erupted for 26 points on 10-of-21 shooting, including 5-of-11 from three, plus 7 assists. Cleveland left him open early. Then he made them pay until the very end.
Brunson dishing 14-assist game — MSG
Getty Images / AP Sports · 800×480px
alt="Jalen Brunson 14 assists Knicks vs Cavaliers ECF Game 2 May 21 2026 Madison Square Garden"
Brunson's 14-assist night tied his playoff career-high — he controlled the offense, found Hart and Bridges all night. Photo: Getty Images
The 18-0 Third-Quarter Run That Ended Everything
The Cavaliers briefly tied it 53-53 early in the third quarter — a moment where Cleveland fans hoped for a repeat of Game 1's first three quarters. But Brunson, Hart, and Bridges had other plans. Over the next 4:44, the Knicks went on an 18-0 run — converting mismatches, hitting open threes, forcing six consecutive turnovers. By the time Cleveland scored again, the lead was 71-56. Cleveland scored only 44 points in the entire second half.
Mitchell Scored 26 But Had No Help
Donovan Mitchell was again outstanding with 26 points and is playing at a high level. But James Harden shot poorly, the bench managed only 14 points, and the supporting cast simply could not match the Knicks' collective firepower. Cleveland cannot win a series leaning entirely on Mitchell. Something must change before Game 3 in Cleveland.
MSG crowd during 18-0 run — Q3
AP Sports · 800×480px
alt="Madison Square Garden crowd chants Knicks in 4 during Game 2 ECF 2026 third quarter run"
The Garden was deafening during the 18-0 run. "Knicks in 4" chants began in the fourth quarter. Photo: AP Sports
Sportslnv Series Prediction
Knicks win ECF in 5 games — advance to 2026 NBA Finals
Cleveland must win Game 3 at home or this series is over. Brunson and Hart together are a top-3 backcourt in the league right now.
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Fan Chat — Join the Discussion
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488 fans online
MG
MadGarden_Fan
KNICKS IN 4 LET'S GOOO 🔵🟠🔵🟠
CF
CavsFaithful
Mitchell can't do it alone. Harden needs to show up in Game 3.
NB
NBANerd26
Josh Hart career-high playoff game?? This team is DEEP. Can anyone on CLE stop all 5 starters?
RP
RandyP_Hoops
That 18-0 run in Q3 was over so fast. Brunson + Hart at the same time is unfair 😤
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the final score of Knicks vs Cavaliers Game 2?+
The New York Knicks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-93 in Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 21, 2026. NY now leads the series 2-0. Knicks are 2 wins away from the NBA Finals.
How many points did Josh Hart score in Game 2?+
Josh Hart scored 26 points — a playoff career-high — on 10-of-21 shooting (5-of-11 from three) with 7 assists. Cleveland left him open early in Game 2, and he made them pay from the moment he got hot.
When is Knicks vs Cavaliers Game 3 ECF 2026?+
Game 3 is Sunday May 24, 2026 at 7:30pm ET on ESPN, played at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers must win to stay alive — a 3-0 series deficit has never been overcome in NBA history.
How many assists did Brunson have in Game 2?+
Jalen Brunson had 14 assists in Game 2, along with 19 points. The Knicks starting lineup combined for 96 points and 12 made threes, fueled by Brunson's playmaking throughout the game.
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Jalen Brunson Net Worth 2026 — Full Financial Breakdown
$156.5M Contract · Salary · Endorsements · Career Earnings Explained
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Title: Jalen Brunson Net Worth 2026 — Salary, $156M Knicks Contract & Career Earnings
Meta: Jalen Brunson net worth is ~$18 million in 2026. Earns $34.9M this season under $156.5M extension. Full contract year-by-year, endorsements & career earnings.
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jalen-brunson-net-worth-2026 · Keyword: Jalen Brunson net worth 2026Jalen Brunson Net Worth 2026
The Knicks captain: underpaid by elite standards — and his next contract will fix that completely
Jalen Brunson — Knicks 2026 portrait
NBA.com / Getty Images · 800×500px
alt="Jalen Brunson New York Knicks guard 2026 NBA net worth salary contract"
Brunson earns $34.9M this season — well below elite NBA peers — but his 2028 free agency number will be historic. Photo: NBA.com
Quick Numbers — Jalen Brunson 2026
- Net Worth: ~$18 million (2026 estimate — Celebrity Net Worth / EssentiallySports)
- 2025-26 Salary: $34,944,001
- Current Contract: 4 years, $156,549,124 (avg $39.1M/yr · fully guaranteed)
- Total contracted career earnings: ~$266 million through 2029
- Free agent: 2028–29 (player option in final year)
The $113 Million He Left on the Table
The most fascinating part of Brunson's financial story is what he gave away. In July 2024, he signed a 4-year $156.5M extension with the Knicks — an amount experts estimated to be ~$113 million below what he could have commanded on the open market. Brunson chose stability, New York, and keeping the Knicks' payroll flexible. That decision is paying off — the Knicks are now two wins away from the NBA Finals.
$18M
Net Worth 2026
Est. Celebrity Net Worth
$34.9M
2025-26 Salary
Current season
$156.5M
Current Contract
4-yr extension 2024
2028
Free Agent Year
Player option final yr
Brunson signing Knicks extension 2024
AP / Getty Images · 800×480px
alt="Jalen Brunson signs $156.5 million New York Knicks contract extension July 2024"
Brunson's 2024 extension left ~$113M on the table. His loyalty to New York has defined the franchise's rebuild. Photo: AP Images
Contract Year by Year — Full Breakdown
| Season | Year | Base Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Year 1 | $34,944,001 | Current season |
| 2026-27 | Year 2 | $37,739,521 | Fully guaranteed |
| 2027-28 | Year 3 | $40,128,040 | Fully guaranteed |
| 2028-29 | Year 4 | $43,737,562 | Player Option |
| Total | $156,549,124 (fully guaranteed) | ||
Source: Spotrac.com · Data updated April 2026
Why is Brunson "underpaid"? At $34.9M this season, Brunson earns less than players like Damian Lillard ($48M) and Bradley Beal ($46M), both underperforming or injured. Brunson is averaging 27 PPG, 6.1 APG, leading NY to the ECF. His 2028 free agency contract is expected to be one of the largest in NBA history.
Career Earnings — From $6.1M Rookie to $266M Franchise Cornerstone
| Contract | Team | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rookie Deal | Dallas Mavericks | $6.14M | 2018-22 |
| Free Agent Deal | New York Knicks | $104M (4yr) | 2022-26 |
| Veteran Extension | New York Knicks | $156.5M (4yr) | 2025-29 |
| Total Career Contracted | ~$266M through 2029 | ||
FAQ — Jalen Brunson Net Worth 2026
What is Jalen Brunson's net worth in 2026?+
Jalen Brunson's net worth is estimated at approximately $18 million in 2026 (Celebrity Net Worth, EssentiallySports). His total contracted NBA career earnings are ~$266M through 2029 including his current extension.
How much does Jalen Brunson earn per year?+
Brunson earns $34,944,001 in 2025-26, rising to $37.7M, $40.1M, and a $43.7M player option. His 4-year extension average is $39.1M/year — below max salary but fully guaranteed.
What is Jalen Brunson's Knicks contract?+
Brunson signed a 4-year $156,549,124 veteran extension with the Knicks in July 2024, fully guaranteed through 2028-29 with a player option in the final year. He originally joined NY on a 4-year $104M deal in 2022.
When does Jalen Brunson become a free agent?+
Brunson has a player option in 2028-29 ($43.7M). If he opts out, he becomes an unrestricted free agent in summer 2028 — projected to be one of the largest contracts in NBA history based on his current performance.