Down 2-0 again, Cavs say task ahead against Knicks undaunting

NEW YORK -- Despite trailing 2-0 in the Eastern Conference finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers took comfort in the fact that they have rallied from this deficit before.

The Cavs trailed 2-0 in the conference semifinals before coming back to defeat the Detroit Pistonsin seven games, andDonovan Mitchell said that gives the team confidence it can erase the deficit again.

"This isn't our first time facing adversity," Mitchell said after Cleveland's 109-93 defeat in Game 2 on Thursday night. "We've been through two Game 7s, so being down 2-0 is not the biggest challenge. It's just something we just reached."

Still, the Cavs face a tall task. Only two teams in NBA history have come back from multiple 2-0 series deficits in the same postseason: the 2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks, who went on to win the NBA title, and the 2020-21LA Clippers, who lostin the conference finals.

"That's just how our whole playoffs have been, our back against the wall," Cavs center Jarrett Allen said. "We like to keep things interesting. We like to keep everybody stressing about what the next game is going to be like. This is no different from what we're doing now. We've got to take care of home court."

Despite the double-digit loss in Game 2, the Cavs left Madison Square Garden feeling encouraged about the way they played. Mitchell complimented his team for not allowing its crushing fourth-quarter collapse in Game 1 to linger into Game 2.

Several players and coach Kenny Atkinson repeated the same mantra: The Cavs' offensive process was right, they just didn't convert on open shots.

Cleveland shot 9 for 26 (26%) from beyond the arc Thursday, including 6 for 20 on open looks, according to ESPN Research.Sam Merrill, who is shooting 40% from 3 in the playoffs, went 0-for-7 from 3; he had never attempted more than five 3s in any game, regular season or playoffs, without making at least one.

"We just hit no shots," Cavs guard James Harden said. "We had a lot of open shots. Make shots, hit a couple of those, win the ball game. Throughout the entire game, our process was right. I don't know if it was tired legs, you know, whatever the case is going to be, but we had a lot of really good looks. It's part of the game."

After enduring two seven-game series during the first two rounds, Thursday marked the Cavs' 16th game of the postseason. Since April 29, which was Game 5 of the first round against the Toronto Raptors, Cleveland has played a game every other day.

Still, Mitchell did not want to use fatigue as an excuse for the Cavs' poor shooting performance and once again denied that he is dealing with an injury or fatigue.

"We're not tired," Mitchell said. "We're ready to go for Game 3."

Despite their commitment to their process, the Cavs also said they will need to make adjustments heading into Game 3. They know they'll need to find a balance in defending Jalen Brunson, who torched them for 14 assists Thursday, while not leaving Josh Hart, who set a playoff career high with 26 points, too wide open.

The Cavs were held under 100 points for the fourth time this postseason, something that happened only four times during the regular season.

"We're in the same place as last round," Cavs forward Evan Mobley said. "So, the good thing is we've been here before. It's nothing that we haven't fought through and prevailed. So, we just got to win these next two at home and keep it moving."br/]