James Harden, james harden and Donovan Mitchell lead Cavs past Knicks
james harden and Donovan Mitchell paced the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 109-94 win over the New York Knicks at Rocket Arena on Tuesday night, February 24, 2026. Harden finished with 20 points on 8-of-18 shooting, added four assists and grabbed two rebounds.
James Harden's line and role
James Harden scored 20 points on 8-of-18 shooting, dished out four assists and had two rebounds in the victory. Fans and pundits were impressed with the duo of Harden and Mitchell, a recurring reaction during the game-night coverage.
Donovan Mitchell's impact and defense
Donovan Mitchell finished with 23 points, five rebounds and four assists while shooting 5-of-18 from the field. Mitchell also made a defensive impact by recording three steals, complementing Harden's offensive performance.
Game flow and scoring sequence
Cleveland opened the contest with a 19-12 run and held a nine-point edge at the end of the first quarter. The Cavaliers pushed their lead to 12 points early in the second quarter, but the Knicks answered with a 7-1 run to stay within reach. New York later trimmed the deficit to one point before Cleveland responded with a quick 8-0 run to restore separation.
Third-quarter collapse by New York
The Cavaliers pulled away after halftime. New York managed just 11 points in the third quarter, shooting 3-of-24 from the floor and 1-of-12 from behind the arc during that period. Cleveland carried an 18-point lead into the fourth quarter and maintained a double-digit advantage for the remainder of the contest, closing out the 109-94 win.
Knicks individual stat lines
For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson scored 20 points on 6-of-19 shooting while handing out four assists and committing two turnovers. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, hitting all five of his shot attempts but committing five turnovers.
Records and immediate aftermath
Following Tuesday's result, New York and Cleveland now have identical 37-22 records. Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson spoke after defeating the New York Knicks; a video of his remarks is noted in postgame materials, but the content of his comments is unclear in the provided context.
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Short and factual: the Cavaliers won 109-94 at Rocket Arena on February 24, 2026, powered by James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, with New York hampered by a 11-point third quarter and individual turnovers that helped Cleveland pull away.
