Cleveland Cavaliers returned to winning form on Tuesday with a comfortable 109-94 triumph over the New York Knicks, as recent signing James Harden scored 20 points and added four assists.

The Cavs grabbed the lead within the first minute thanks to an Evan Mobley three-pointer and never looked back, delivering a thoroughly controlled performance in front of their home crowd.

Harden, a former NBA Most Valuable Player brought over from the Los Angeles Clippers this month, has yet to win an NBA championship despite a decorated career. His move to a seemingly playoff-bound Cleveland team, which has lost only once in seven games since his arrival, reflects his ambition to chase a title.

“We’re working to build something special, and each game is an opportunity to get better,” Harden said after the game. “Tonight was a good step for us.”

Cleveland’s win brought them level with the Knicks at 37-22 in the Eastern Conference standings, with New York struggling, particularly in the third quarter where they managed just 11 points.

Elsewhere around the NBA, Anthony Edwards scored 34 points to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 124-121 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, with 25 of his points coming in a dominant first half.

The Charlotte Hornets routed the Chicago Bulls 131-99, as rookie Kon Knueppel became the fastest player in NBA history to reach 200 career three-pointers at just 20 years old and in only 58 games.

Tyrese Maxey recorded 32 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 135-114 win over the Indiana Pacers, who have struggled this season despite reaching last year’s NBA Finals.

Debuting for the Atlanta Hawks, Jonathan Kuminga scored 27 points in a 119-98 victory over the Washington Wizards.

The Western Conference leaders, Oklahoma City Thunder, secured another win with a 116-107 victory against the Toronto Raptors, while the Boston Celtics strengthened their hold on second place in the East with a 97-81 win over the Phoenix Suns.