Cavaliers dominate Knicks in Game 2 to tie series at one

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Darius Garland scored 32 points, 26 while setting an aggressive tone for Cleveland in the first half, and the Cavaliers evened their Eastern Conference playoff series against New York at one game apiece with a 107-90 victory over the Knicks on Tuesday night.

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 was still down 23 and playing its starters when Julius Randle was hit in the air by Cavs center 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.

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Cleveland Cavaliers guard Darius Garland (10) shoots against New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Tuesday, April 18, 2023, in Cleveland.  (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)

Caris LeVert scored 24 points off the bench and Donovan Mitchell added 17 and a career playoff-high 13 assists for the Cavs, who were much more physical than in Game 1 and went toe to toe with the Knicks.

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

The Cavs matched the Knicks' physicality from the outset, winning the 50/50 balls that went to New York in the opener. And if handling Cleveland's new-found