The New York Knicks didn’t need a historic comeback to take Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday.

Instead, it was a dominant victory in regulation, 109-93, as the Knicks take a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series to Cleveland this weekend.

There was no hangover for the Cavaliers to begin the game, as they owned a 27-24 lead at the end of the first quarter. But the Knicks found their way into the lead by halftime.

It was the third quarter where New York started to pull away, getting the lead up to 18 points as the Madison Square Garden crowd went ballistic. The Knicks went on an 18-0 run at one point as well, which was reminiscent of Game 1’s fourth-quarter comeback.

However, Cleveland wasn’t letting off the gas despite the deficit. The Cavaliers cut the 18-point lead in half with around 8:30 left in the fourth quarter, as New York struggled to buy a basket.

KNICKS STORM BACK TO SHOCK CAVS IN GAME 1 AS JAMES HARDEN’S DEFENSIVE PLAY COMES UNDER SCRUTINY

But once OG Anunoby knocked down a three-pointer from the left wing, things were back to normal for the Knicks crowd.

Mikal Bridges, who had a stellar night on both ends of the floor, hit a wide-open three with 6:12 remaining in the fourth that got the lead back up to 13 for the Knicks, and they would coast from there.

Jalen Brunson, the team’s All-Star point guard, was phenomenal in the comeback on Tuesday night, dropping 38 points. But Cleveland made their game plan known right away in this matchup, putting pressure on him to the point where he’d be giving up the rock in double-teams.

As a result, the Cavaliers were fine with Josh Hart taking shots instead. While the plan seemed to work in the first half a bit, Hart found his groove in the second and set a new career high with a team-high 26 points on 10-of-21 shooting, including 5-of-11 from three-point range. He also got on the board with seven assists, four rebounds and two steals.

Meanwhile, Brunson tallied 19 points and dished out a playoff career-high 14 assists for New York. And once again, Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds, playing efficiently for Mike Brown’s Knicks.

With the lead back up to 18 for the Knicks, all starters were pulled with under two minutes to play, as the crowd gave their squad a standing ovation for a job well done.

The Knicks shot 52% from the field and only saw 14 foul shots all game long, but they held the Cavaliers to just 39% shooting as a team. Cleveland also failed to capitalize on key free throws late in the game, as they were in the bonus with over nine minutes to play. As a team, they shot just 69% (22-of-32) from the charity stripe.

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Evan Mobley also had 14 points in the first half, but he curiously didn’t take a single shot in the second half for Cleveland. Donovan Mitchell matched Hart’s 26 points, though he shot 8-of-18. James Harden also went 6-of-15 for 18 points.

With the win, the Knicks have now won nine straight playoff games.

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SOUTHERN SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS
(Games at 3:15 p.m. unless noted)
SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
Semifinals

DIVISION 1
La Habra at Etiwanda
JSerra at Norco

DIVISION 2
Whittier Christian at St. Paul
San Clemente at Mater Dei

DIVISION 3
North Torrance at Great Oak
Riverside Prep at Dos Pueblos

DIVISION 4
Oxnard at Monrovia
Burbank Burroughs at Mission Viejo

DIVISION 5
Patriot at Grace
Covina at Northwood

DIVISION 6
Granite Hills at Irvine
Hesperia Christian at Arroyo

DIVISION 7
Ramona Convent at Faith Baptist
Cathedral City at Edgewood

DIVISION 8
San Bernardino at Workman
Capistrano Valley Christian at Arroyo Valley

Note: Finals May 28-30 at Bill Barber Memorial Park, Irvine.

William Davis, the football player for the Sam Houston State Bearkats who transferred to the school after playing one year with the West Virginia Mountaineers, reportedly died from a gunshot wound to the chest.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Virginia said it’s unclear whether it’s a homicide, and that the manner of Davis’ death is pending, according to TMZ.

Sam Houston State head coach Phil Longo released a statement on Sunday confirming the 22-year-old’s death.

“It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of Will Davis,” Longo said in a statement. “Will was a beloved member of our Bearkat football family here at Sam Houston who touched the lives of everyone he knew.

“Will was an upbeat, positive, passionate young man who will be sincerely missed. Tanya, the kids and I are praying for Will’s family during this difficult time.”

Davis began his college career at Virginia Union, playing 19 games and recording five interceptions and one touchdown. Following the 2024 season, he transferred to West Virginia and played in one game for them.

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Davis graduated from West Virginia with a master of science in sports management in 2025. He was set to compete for a roster spot at Sam Houston State, and said the campus felt like home.

“Sam Houston felt like home from the moment I first set foot on campus,” he said, via Nilson Sports. “As a Virginia kid that had played every snap of football in my life within driving distance of home, it was important to me that I’d play somewhere where I fit seamlessly into the culture if I was going to be so distant geographically.”

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“The ability to play for Coach Dovonte Edwards, someone with experience playing in the NFL that can show me the blueprint of what it looks like to become the type of player who can achieve success at the highest level, was a motivating factor for me as well.”

Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

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