The New York Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 126-124 at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Thursday, solidifying their second-place position in the NBA's Eastern Conference.

New York trailed by as many as 17 points, falling behind 103-86 in the fourth quarter. That followed a poor start which left the Knicks trailing 18-3 in the first period.

Donovan Mitchell scored 12 points in the opening quarter, helping Cleveland push its lead to 38-23.

The Cavaliers seemingly forgot how to protect the ball in the second quarter, however, committing eight turnovers. New York capitalized on those opportunities to go on a 37-20 run, snatching a 60-58 advantage at halftime.

The Knicks knocked down seven three-pointers in the quarter, with Jordan Clarkson contributing three. Meanwhile, second-year point guard Tyler Kolek dished out seven assists while coughing up just one turnover for the home side during the period.

New York's hot hand only lasted one quarter, as the team struggled to make shots again after the break. The Knicks missed 15 of their 21 field goal attempts, including 10 inside the three-point line. Cleveland, on the other hand, went 16-for-24 to outscore the home side 38-24 in the third period, surging in front 96-84.

The hosts rallied behind a storm of three-pointers in the fourth quarter, sinking seven shots from downtown, en route to 42 in the period. Jalen Brunson contributed three triples, scoring 13 of his 34 points down the stretch. Kolek added a trio of threes on the way to 11 of his 16 points. Moreover, Mitchell Robinson grabbed eight of his 13 rebounds in the quarter, including four on the offensive glass.

The Cavaliers couldn't match the hosts in offensive firepower, shooting 34.6 percent from the field after missing 11 of 14 jumpers. Mitchell poured in 15 of the visiting side's 28 points in the final quarter. He exploded for five points in the final 30 seconds to keep the contest alive, but came up short on a buzzer-beater at the final horn.

New York sits second in the East with a 21-9 record. Cleveland remains seventh at 17-15.

Thursday's other results (away teams listed first):

San Antonio Spurs 117-102 Oklahoma City Thunder

Dallas Mavericks 116-126 Golden State Warriors

Houston Rockets 119-96 Los Angeles Lakers