Cavaliers beat Knicks 107-90 in Game 2 to tie series

CLEVELAND (AP):

DARIUS GARLAND scored 32 points, 26 while setting an aggressive tone for Cleveland in the first half, and the Cavaliers beat the New York Knicks 107-90 last night in Game Two to tie the Eastern Conference play-off series.

Garland scored 15 points in the second quarter when Cleveland tightened down defensively and dominated New York, forcing nine turnovers on the way to opening a 20-point halftime lead. The Cavs pushed their lead to 29 in the fourth. Cleveland’s blowout ended with a hard foul.

New York were still down 23 and playing their starters when Julius Randle was hit in the air by Cavs centre Jarrett Allen on a dunk with 2:22 left. Randle fell hard to the floor, and after getting up, exchanged words with several Cavs players and coach J.B. Bickerstaff.

CAREER PLAY-OFF HIGH

Caris LeVert scored 24 points off the bench and Donovan Mitchell added 17 and a career play-off high 13 assists for the Cavs.

Randle scored 22 points and Jalen Brunson added 20 for New York, who got the split it needed in rowdy Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to head home for Game 3 at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.

In the meantime, Jayson Tatum had 29 points and an emphatic dunk to end a clinching late run and Boston beat Atlanta to take a 2-0 series lead.

Derrick White added 26 points and seven rebounds, and Jaylen Brown scored 18 points. Boston outscored Atlanta 64-40 in the paint.

Dejounte Murray led the Hawks with 29 points, and Trae Young had 24.

Game 3 is Friday night in Atlanta.