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Cavaliers HC Kenny Atkinson doesn’t sound shocked at Game 2 result based on 1 dreadful stat
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- Cavaliers HC Kenny Atkinson doesn’t sound shocked at Game 2 result based on 1 dreadful stat
Cavaliers HC Kenny Atkinson doesn’t sound shocked at Game 2 result based on 1 dreadful stat appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Cavaliers are heading back to Cleveland facing another 2-0 deficit after a 109-93 loss to the New York Knicks in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals on Thursday night.
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Head coach Kenny Atkinson did not sound surprised by the outcome afterward, pointing directly to the Cavaliers inability to make perimeter shots as the deciding factor.
“We knew coming into the series that we would have to make 3s,” Atkinson said following the loss.
That problem defined Game 2. Cleveland finished just 9-for-35 from three-point range, a 25.7% mark, after shooting only 32% from deep in Game 1. The Cavaliers also shot 38.8% overall from the field and missed 10 of 32 free throws, finishing at 68.8% from the line.
The game was tied early in the third quarter after a layup from Donovan Mitchell , but Cleveland’s offense collapsed shortly afterward. The Cavaliers went scoreless for more than five minutes while New York responded with an 18-0 run that effectively decided the game. During that stretch, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart combined for 16 of the Knicks’ 18 points.
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Hart finished with a playoff career-high 26 points while hitting 5 of 11 attempts from three after entering the game shooting only 26.7% from deep in the postseason. Brunson contributed 19 points and 14 assists despite making just 7 of 16 shots. Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Mikal Bridges also scored 19 points. Every New York starter reached double figures.
Mitchell led Cleveland with 26 points on 8-of-18 shooting, though questions about his health continued after another game where he appeared limited physically. Evan Mobley scored 10 points in the first quarter and finished with 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting, but attempted only two shots over the final three quarters. James Harden added 18 points, while Jarrett Allen contributed 13 points and 10 rebounds.
The Knicks have now won nine consecutive playoff games, the NBA’s longest postseason winning streak since the 2024 Celtics won 10 straight en route to a championship.
The Cavaliers now return home needing a Game 3 win Saturday to avoid falling into an even deeper hole.
Related: James Harden at a loss for words over Cavs Game 2 bricklaying vs. Knicks
Related: Cavs’ Evan Mobley as defiant as ever with Pistons reminder for Knicks series
