CJ McCollum delivered a spectacular 32‑point performance as the Atlanta Hawks rallied to edge the New York Knicks 107‑106 on Monday night, tying the opening round series at one game each. The victory was snatched in the final seconds, with McCollum missing two free throws with 5.6 seconds left, but the Knicks failed to capitalize on their last possession. After a hurried inbound, Mikal Bridges attempted a shot as the clock expired, and the ball bounced harmlessly away, sealing the Hawks' comeback.
Atlanta had spent the entire second half trailing, finding themselves down by 12 points after the third quarter. The Hawks slowly chipped away at the deficit, and a crucial basket by McCollum gave them a 101‑100 lead with 2:09 remaining – their first lead of the night in the second half. He then knocked down a second jumper to stretch the advantage to three points.
New York’s star guard Jalen Brunson answered with a three‑pointer to knot the score, but McCollum responded once more, hitting a mid‑range jumper that put Atlanta up 105‑103 with just 33 seconds on the clock. Bench contributor Jonathan Kuminga added 19 points, while Jalen Johnson chipped in 17, including a decisive bucket with ten seconds left that pushed the Hawks to a four‑point margin. The No.
6 seed from the Western Conference will host Game 3 on Thursday, hoping to build on the momentum generated by this dramatic win. For the Knicks, Brunson finished with 29 points and Karl‑Anthony Towns added 18, but the effort fell short of the team’s goal of advancing to the second round for a fourth consecutive year – a stretch not seen since the early 1990s. After the game, New York forward Josh Hart lamented, “We should have won this one.
In the playoffs you can’t afford to give away games.” In a separate Western Conference matchup, the Minnesota Timberwolves matched the Denver Nuggets 119‑114, also tying their series at one apiece. Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 30 points, while Julius Randle contributed 24. The Wolves erased a 19‑point first‑quarter hole and fought back from a 13‑game winning streak that Denver had built since mid‑March. Late in the fourth quarter, Edwards turned the ball over with 31 seconds left, and Christian Braun was fouled on the other end.
Braun missed one of two free throws, leaving Denver trailing 115‑114 with 19 seconds remaining. After a timeout, Randle sank two free throws and Donte DiVincenzo capped the comeback with a breakaway dunk, turning a 19‑point early deficit into a victory. Denver’s star duo, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, combined for 54 points (30 and 24 respectively) but were anemic from beyond the arc, shooting just 2‑of‑12 in the fourth quarter. The Nuggets have historically dominated series in which they win the first two games (8‑0), while the Wolves have never won after dropping the opening two contests (0‑8).
Murray’s half‑court three at the halftime buzzer tied the game at 64, and Jokic erupted for 16 points in the third quarter, giving Denver a brief 93‑90 lead. Edwards showed marked improvement over his 22‑point outing in Game 1, attacking the rim more aggressively and shedding the rust from a lingering knee issue.
Minnesota out‑rebounded Denver on second‑chance opportunities, 20‑3, and turned a 64‑56 lead into a 107‑90 advantage before the Nuggets rallied late. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers continued their dominant start to the postseason, beating the Toronto Raptors 115‑105 to take a 2‑0 lead in the Eastern Conference first round.
Coach Kenny Atkinson praised the trio of Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, and Evan Mobley, calling it “a superstar game” and highlighting their clutch shooting and defensive contributions. Mitchell poured in 30 points, including four three‑pointers, and added seven rebounds, five assists, and a steal. Harden contributed 28 points and recorded four steals in the second half, moving past Rajon Rondo into seventh place on the all‑time playoff assists list with 1,139. Mobley posted a double‑double with 25 points on 11‑of‑13 shooting and a team‑high eight rebounds, while also delivering key defensive stops.
The Cavaliers made history by becoming only the fourth franchise to have three players each score at least 25 points in a playoff game. Mitchell’s ninth‑point burst in the fourth quarter, which included seven consecutive points, helped the Cavs 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 defensive intensity was evident, as he logged five steals and forced a crucial turnover by Toronto’s Sandro Mamukelashvili, while Mobley’s presence in the paint altered several shots.
Overall, Monday night delivered a whirlwind of dramatic finishes, clutch performances, and series‑leveling victories across both conferences. The Hawks and Wolves now face pivotal Game 3 contests that could swing the momentum of their respective series, while the Cavaliers aim to close out Toronto and continue their march toward the Eastern Conference Finals.
Fans can catch the next round of action live on Sky Sports, with upcoming matchups including the Philadelphia 76ers at the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night.