CJ McCollum delivered a standout performance of 32 points as the Atlanta Hawks rallied to edge the New York Knicks 107‑106 on Monday night, tying the opening round series at one win apiece. The climax of the game was a dramatic back‑and‑forth that saw McCollum miss two free throws with just 5.6 seconds left, but the Knicks, unable to call a timeout, rushed the ball up the court and saw Mikal Bridges miss a final shot as the buzzer sounded. Atlanta had spent the entire second half trailing, finding themselves down by 12 points after three quarters.
The Hawks slowly chipped away at the deficit, and a crucial bucket from McCollum gave them a 101‑100 advantage – their first lead of the night – with 2:09 remaining. He then knocked down another jumper to push the margin to three. New York’s point guard Jalen Brunson answered with a three‑pointer to knot the score, but McCollum responded once more, hitting a mid‑range jumper that restored a two‑point lead at 105‑103 with just 33 seconds on the clock.
Off the bench, Jonathan Kuminga contributed 19 points, while forward Jalen Johnson added 17, including a decisive basket with 10 seconds left that stretched the Hawks’ lead to four. The No.
6 seed from the Western Conference will host Game 3 on Thursday, hoping to build on the momentum of their comeback. For the Knicks, Brunson finished with 29 points and Karl‑Anthony Towns added 18, but the loss kept New York’s quest for a fourth consecutive second‑round appearance – the longest playoff run they have enjoyed since the early 1990s – alive but uncertain. In other first‑round action, the Minnesota Timberwolves fought back from a 19‑point early hole to defeat the Denver Nuggets 119‑114, also tying their series at one game each.
Anthony Edwards erupted for 30 points, while Julius Randle supplied 24. Denver, which had won 13 straight games before a March 18 loss, saw its star duo of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic struggle in the fourth quarter, combining for just two of twelve attempts and managing a paltry four points.
The Wolves’ comeback was sparked when Edwards turned the ball over with 31 seconds left, and Christian Braun was fouled on the opposite end. Braun missed one of two free throws, leaving Denver trailing 115‑114 with 19 seconds remaining. After a Minnesota timeout, Randle sank two free throws and Donte DiVincenzo capped the rally with a breakaway dunk, sealing the win after a 19‑point first‑quarter deficit. Murray’s 30 points and Jokic’s 24 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists were not enough to overcome Minnesota’s surge.
The Nuggets, who have never lost the first two games of a playoff series in their history (8‑0), saw their record threatened as the Wolves, who have never won after dropping the first two games (0‑8), forced a decisive Game 3 in Minneapolis on Thursday night. Murray’s half‑court three‑pointer at the buzzer of the first half tied the game at 64, and Jokic responded with a strong third quarter, scoring 16 points to give Denver a 93‑90 lead. However, Edwards, who had been hampered by a sore knee in Game 1 and managed only 22 points, showed a markedly improved performance, attacking the rim more aggressively and limiting his reliance on jump shots. Minnesota’s second‑chance scoring (20‑3) proved pivotal, as they erased a 19‑point deficit and briefly seized a 64‑56 lead before Denver reclaimed the final eight points of the half.
Murray, who missed all eight of his three‑point attempts in the series opener, began the night with a three‑pointer and was 5‑of‑7 from beyond the arc before halftime. He also recorded two four‑point plays in the first quarter, drawing fouls from Ayo Dosunmu on both occasions. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers continued their dominant start to the Eastern Conference first round, beating the Toronto Raptors 115‑105 to take a 2‑0 series lead. The win highlighted the postseason firepower of Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, and Evan Mobley.
Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson praised the trio, noting their ability to deliver big shots and make critical defensive plays. Mitchell contributed 30 points, four three‑pointers, seven rebounds, five assists, and a steal in 37 minutes.
Harden added 28 points and showcased his defensive acumen with four steals in the second half, moving past Rajon Rondo for seventh place on the all‑time postseason assists list with 1,139. Mobley posted a team‑high eight rebounds and a highly efficient 25 points on 11‑of‑13 shooting. It was the fourth occasion in franchise history that the Cavs had three players score at least 25 points in a playoff contest.
Mitchell’s fourth‑quarter burst – nine points, including seven straight – helped the team build a 106‑90 lead with just over three minutes remaining. He capped the night with a spectacular 13‑foot turnaround bank shot with 45.3 seconds left.
Harden’s overall contribution included a 9‑of‑14 shooting night, five rebounds, four assists, and a block, while Mobley’s defensive presence forced Toronto’s Sandro Mamukelashvili to alter a shot in the paint, and Harden’s timely steal with 4:02 left marked his fourth playoff game with at least five steals. These early series results set the stage for a compelling second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs, with the Hawks looking to capitalize on their newfound confidence, the Wolves aiming to keep the Nuggets on the brink, and the Cavaliers seeking to maintain their commanding lead over the Raptors as the postseason marches onward.