Category: Basketball

ATLANTA - Mikal Bridges has been a Knick for two years. So he understands what’s going to be said/written about him over the next two days. 

“I’ve got to take it on the chin, handle it how I’m supposed to and be ready for the next one. You know, it’s going to suck. It is what it is. I’ve just got to be better to help my team out there.”

That was Bridges’ response to a question about how he can bounce back from a truly forgettable game on Thursday. 

The Knick wing missed all three of his shot attempts and had four turnovers in Game 3. New York was outscored by 26 in Bridges’ 20 minutes on the floor. Bridges was benched for nearly all of the second half as Mike Brown replaced him with Miles McBride. 

McBride delivered in all the ways Bridges fell short: he hit five threes, had two steals and helped stabilize the Knicks defense. It obviously wasn’t enough in the end. But McBride’s performance leaves Brown and the coaching staff with an interesting decision ahead of a must-win Game 4. 

Should Brown shake up his starting lineup and replace Bridges with McBride?

The Knicks got off to a terrible start on Thursday, falling behind by as many as 13 in the first quarter. So maybe Brown and his staff believe McBride can help them avoid another start. Maybe they think Bridges can get going off the bench. 

Whatever decision Brown comes to will be crucial. 

The Knicks can’t afford to get off to another slow start in Game 4. A loss on Saturday would put the Knicks on the brink of a disaster. 

As you know, this is a team that is supposed to reach the NBA Finals, not fall out in the first round. 

A loss to the Hawks would almost certainly lead to major changes – whether they be to the roster, coaching staff or front office. 

It would also lead to heavy criticism of the decisions to trade for Bridges and Towns and fire Tom Thibodeau. 

The Knicks gave up five first-round picks to acquire Bridges. Team president Leon Rose & Co. saw him as the perfect complement to their core. 

They certainly didn’t see him being a non-factor in a pivotal playoff game. 

But that’s what happened on Thursday. If you go back to the second half of Game 2, Bridges is 0-for-7 with four turnovers and a -37 net rating against the Hawks. 

He acknowledged that it was tough to be on the bench in the fourth quarter of a close game. 

“But I’ve just gotta be better so I can be out there,” Bridges said. 

In his news conference after Game 3, Brown said he believes Bridges will bounce back. 

“I’m not concerned. Mikal is a pro. He’s been there,” Brown said. “He’s played hundreds of basketball games, so he’ll be fine.”

Maybe Brown is right. But the more important question is whether Bridges will be in the starting lineup on Saturday. 

The answer to that may define the rest of this series – and the rest of this season – for the Knicks

Denver Nuggets (54-28, third in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33, sixth in the Western Conference)

Minneapolis; Saturday, 8:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Nuggets -1.5; over/under is 229.5

WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Timberwolves lead series 2-1

BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Timberwolves host the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference first round with a 2-1 lead in the series. The Timberwolves won the last meeting 113-96 on Friday, led by 25 points from Ayo Dosunmu. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 27.

The Timberwolves are 9-7 in division matchups. Minnesota is seventh in the league with 118.0 points and is shooting 48.1% from the field.

The Nuggets are 11-5 against the rest of their division. Denver is seventh in the Western Conference with 44.0 rebounds per game led by Jokic averaging 12.9.

The Timberwolves average 118.0 points per game, 1.1 more points than the 116.9 the Nuggets allow. The Nuggets are shooting 49.6% from the field, 3.4% higher than the 46.2% the Timberwolves' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Julius Randle is averaging 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and five assists for the Timberwolves. Dosunmu is averaging 13.7 points over the last 10 games.

Jamal Murray is averaging 25.4 points and 7.1 assists for the Nuggets. Jokic is averaging 22.8 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 5-5, averaging 116.8 points, 41.1 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 8.1 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 117.0 points per game.

Nuggets: 8-2, averaging 123.6 points, 47.1 rebounds, 28.8 assists, 7.2 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 48.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.7 points.

INJURIES: Timberwolves: Terrence Shannon Jr.: out (illness), Jaylen Clark: out (illness).

Nuggets: Aaron Gordon: out (calf), Peyton Watson: out (hamstring).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18, first in the Western Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (45-37, seventh in the Western Conference)

Phoenix; Saturday, 3:30 p.m. EDT

LINE: Thunder -9.5; over/under is 214.5

WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Thunder lead series 2-0

BOTTOM LINE: The Oklahoma City Thunder visit the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference first round with a 2-0 lead in the series. The Thunder won the last meeting 120-107 on Thursday, led by 37 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 30.

The Suns have gone 29-23 against Western Conference opponents. Phoenix has a 7-10 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Thunder are 41-11 in conference play. Oklahoma City leads the Western Conference giving up just 107.9 points per game while holding opponents to 43.7% shooting.

The Suns average 112.6 points per game, 4.7 more points than the 107.9 the Thunder allow. The Thunder score 7.9 more points per game (119.0) than the Suns allow their opponents to score (111.1).

TOP PERFORMERS: Collin Gillespie is averaging 12.7 points and 4.6 assists for the Suns. Devin Booker is averaging 23.5 points over the last 10 games.

Gilgeous-Alexander is scoring 31.1 points per game and averaging 4.3 rebounds for the Thunder. Isaiah Joe is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 4-6, averaging 108.5 points, 43.0 rebounds, 22.6 assists, 7.4 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.6 points per game.

Thunder: 8-2, averaging 121.0 points, 44.3 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 11.0 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 49.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.7 points.

INJURIES: Suns: Mark Williams: day to day (foot), Jordan Goodwin: day to day (calf).

Thunder: Jalen Williams: out (hamstring), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Detroit Pistons (60-22, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Orlando Magic (45-37, eighth in the Eastern Conference)

Orlando, Florida; Saturday, 1 p.m. EDT

LINE: Pistons -2.5; over/under is 214.5

EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Series tied 1-1

BOTTOM LINE: The Orlando Magic host the Detroit Pistons in game three of the Eastern Conference first round with the series tied 1-1. The Pistons defeated the Magic 98-83 in the last meeting on Wednesday. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 27 points, and Jalen Suggs led the Magic with 19.

The Magic are 26-26 in Eastern Conference games. Orlando has a 19-19 record in games decided by at least 10 points.

The Pistons are 39-13 against conference opponents. Detroit has a 10-6 record in games decided by less than 4 points.

The 115.7 points per game the Magic average are 6.1 more points than the Pistons give up (109.6). The Pistons average 11.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.1 fewer made shots on average than the 12.1 per game the Magic allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: Paolo Banchero is averaging 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists for the Magic. Desmond Bane is averaging 17.1 points over the last 10 games.

Cunningham is averaging 23.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 9.9 assists for the Pistons. Duncan Robinson is averaging 2.5 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Magic: 7-3, averaging 115.1 points, 45.0 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 10.2 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.8 points per game.

Pistons: 7-3, averaging 116.0 points, 44.7 rebounds, 30.0 assists, 10.0 steals and 7.2 blocks per game while shooting 49.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.1 points.

INJURIES: Magic: Jonathan Isaac: day to day (knee).

Pistons: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Atlanta Hawks (46-36, sixth in the Eastern Conference)

Atlanta; Saturday, 6 p.m. EDT

LINE: Knicks -1.5; over/under is 214.5

EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Hawks lead series 2-1

BOTTOM LINE: The Atlanta Hawks host the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference first round with a 2-1 lead in the series. The Hawks won the last meeting 109-108 on Thursday, led by 24 points from Jalen Johnson. OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 29.

The Hawks have gone 27-25 against Eastern Conference teams. Atlanta has a 7-8 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.

The Knicks are 35-17 in Eastern Conference play. New York ranks fifth in the NBA giving up only 110.1 points while holding opponents to 46.0% shooting.

The 118.5 points per game the Hawks score are 8.4 more points than the Knicks allow (110.1). The Knicks are shooting 47.8% from the field, 0.4% higher than the 47.4% the Hawks' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Johnson is averaging 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists for the Hawks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 18.9 points over the last 10 games.

Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds for the Knicks. Jalen Brunson is averaging 19.6 points and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 46.0% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hawks: 6-4, averaging 116.3 points, 44.1 rebounds, 26.1 assists, 8.7 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.2 points per game.

Knicks: 6-4, averaging 111.5 points, 43.5 rebounds, 25.8 assists, 8.3 steals and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.0 points.

INJURIES: Hawks: Jock Landale: out (ankle).

Knicks: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Missing Aaron Gordon wasn’t the only issue the Denver Nuggets had in Game 3.

The Minnesota Timberwolves completely handled Denver, 113-96, Thursday, April 23, taking a 2-1 series lead over the No. 3-seeded Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs.

Throughout the game, offense was the issue, with three starters — Cameron Johnson, Spencer Jones and Christian Braun — combining to score just 14 points on 4-of-13 shooting.

It was a team effort, but Minnesota’s anchor down low, center Rudy Gobert, had a special night.

Gobert was a force on defense, especially on Nuggets All-Star and Most Valuable Player finalist Nikola Jokić. This has come on the heels of Gobert publicly expressing his displeasure that he was not named a finalist for the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award, which went to Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama.

Jokić did end up with 27 points, but it came on an inefficient 7-of-26 (26.9%) shooting night, including a 2-of-10 showing from 3-point range.

Gobert was a big part of that. It also means that Jokić has now gone 15-of-46 (32.6%) over his last two games against Gobert and the Timberwolves. By comparison, Jokić shot the ball at a 56.9% clip this season.

Here’s a look at some of the defensive and offensive highlights of Gobert getting the best of Jokić Thursday night:

Rudy Gobert highlights versus Nikola Jokić

RUDY GOBERT LOCKS UP NIKOLA JOKIC

ELITE DEFENSE

🔒🔒🔒 pic.twitter.com/FGB8KRev9n

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) April 24, 2026

Rudy Gobert block on Nikola Jokic replay pic.twitter.com/dKqqXZSgmV

— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) April 24, 2026

OH MY RUDY pic.twitter.com/tRXcDNEnMJ

— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) April 24, 2026

Gobert went NO-LOOK to Randle 👀 https://t.co/0omXkpZiYEpic.twitter.com/u7nFpx4j4D

— NBA (@NBA) April 24, 2026

Rudy Gobert ran thru Jokic then gave a camera stare 😭😭🔥 pic.twitter.com/NPvehxwqxi

— Shabazz 💫 (@ShowCaseShabazz) April 24, 2026

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rudy Gobert bests Nikola Jokic as Timberwolves beat Nuggets in Game 3

Can someone explain to me how the Houston Rockets are 9.5-point favorites tonight in Game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers?

Sure, I get that the game is in Houston. The Rockets are in desperation mode after dropping the first two games in LA. Role players almost always play better at home than on the road in the playoffs. The Lakers have shot exceptionally well while the Rockets have…not.

Yet all of those factors pale in the shadow of truth that the Rockets just aren’t a good basketball team right now. The problems are everywhere, including coaching, effort, basketball intelligence, and ability.

The Lakers come into this game (and Sunday’s) playing with house money. Thanks to a media blitz relieving them of all pressure heading into the postseason, just winning two games in this series has allowed them to have fun and be free. They are feeling the effects of having zero expectations. Meanwhile, Houston is in an embarrassing position after losing two games against an undermanned Lakers squad missing their two best players. Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard have turned into superstars and the Lakers have collectively decided that missing three pointers is so last year.

So what has actually changed between Games 2 and 3? How is Houston such a heavy favorite when all the evidence says they should be serious underdogs? And that doesn’t include the potential return of Austin Reaves (who is questionable) or the lack of Kevin Durant (also questionable). The Rockets haven’t been swept in a playoff series since 1996. That could change by Sunday.

Tip-off

7pm CT

How To Watch

Amazon

Injury Report

Rockets

Steven Adams: OUT

Fred VanVleet: OUT

Kevin Durant: questionable

Lakers

Luka Doncic: OUT

Austin Reaves: questionable

The Line (as of this post)

HOU -9.5

Check here for updates

Looking ahead because we can

Game 4 on Sunday in Houston

The Cleveland Cavaliers got run off the floor in Game 3 against the Toronto Raptors.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

15 points, 3 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 turnovers

Mitchell didn’t do enough tonight. Simple as that.

It’s unusual to see Mitchell so uninvolved in a playoff game. The Raptors aggressively denied him the ball — and neither the Cavs nor Mitchell seemed overly willing to challenge that. They instead allowed Toronto to dictate the terms of engagement, keeping Mitchell off the board with just 15 points on 16 shot attempts.

All the while, he was targeted in the pick-and-roll by Toronto’s offense. He didn’t fare very well there, either.

Grade: F

James Harden

18 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 8 turnovers

You’ve seen this type of game before from Harden.

More turnovers than field goals made is painful. Not hustling back after turning it over is worse. Harden’s defense was bad, and for the first time in Cleveland, his offense didn’t even come close to making up for it.

Grade: F

Evan Mobley

15 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 1 block

Mobely was able to feast in Game 2 as a result of Mitchell and Harden breaking down the defense and then feeding him with an advantage.

Tonight, however, Scottie Barnes expertly denied Harden the ball in the backcourt. That forced Mobley to bring the ball up the floor and create for himself more than at any other point in the series.

The results weren’t awful, with Mobley dishing 7 assists and actually finding a brief groove in the second half. But that moment was fleeting — and most of those possessions ended in a drained shot clock with nothing to show for.

Worse, I think this was one of the least impactful defensive games of Mobley’s career. He was shockingly absent while the Raptors scored 60 points in the paint.

Grade: D

Jarrett Allen

12 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks

The Cavs can’t afford for Allen to slip now. He’s been crucial to their success all season, but is once again looking like an afterthought as the team jacks three-pointers and stretches him too thin defensively by asking him to cover for an unreasonable amount of breakdowns.

It didn’t help that Allen himself seemed lethargic tonight, too. A recipe for yuck.

Grade: F

Dean Wade

5 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal

Finally, something decent to talk about.

Wade’s still a non-threat on offense. And that has constricted their ability to generate clean looks as the Raptors are starting to ignore him in favor of packing the paint. Those drive-and-kicks to Wade almost always end in a swing pass before resetting the offense. The guy just doesn’t want to shoot.

That said, Wade remains a bright spot defensively and was crushing the Raptors with his offensive rebounding. Wade’s ceiling is clearly defined, but he did all of the floor-raising things tonight to justify his minutes.

Grade: C+

Max Strus

15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal

Strus could sense trouble in the water. He entered the game and immediately began firing away, briefly swinging the momentum and finishing with 15 points on 4-8 three-point shooting.

I really don’t have anything bad to say. Strus unloaded the clip and did so efficiently. This one wasn’t on him.

Grade: B+

Keon Ellis

0 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block, 1 turnover

Ellis has only made one shot so far in this series. He didn’t even attempt one tonight. The margin for error is getting too thin to keep him on the floor. Not to mention, his defense continues to fall by the wayside. Ellis takes some extremely questionable angles when navigating screens — and the Raptors have figured that out.

Grade: D–

Jaylon Tyson

13 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds,

Tyson was one of the only other bright spots. He’s finally dispatched those ‘first playoff’ jitters and is playing like the version of himself that we saw in the regular season. Tyson shot 3-6 from downtown and had a few shots rattle in and out. The Cavs would love for him to continue playing like this.

Grade: B

Sam Merrill

3 points, 3 rebounds

Toronto has totally taken Merrill off the board. He just can’t find any daylight. And trust me, this is a player who doesn’t need much room to get a shot off. The fact that he only attempted two three-pointers in 18 minutes tells you everything you need to know about the Raptors’ defensive game plan.

Grade: D+

Dennis Schroder

3 points, 1 rebound, 3 turnovers

Yeesh.

Three turnovers in five minutes is enough to stay on the bench for the rest of the game series.

Grade: F

Playoff basketball has returned to Toronto! After losing the first two games of the series in Cleveland, the Raptors returned to Scotiabank Arena to try to get a game on the board and keep their playoff hopes alive. It’s been a little bit of a rough series for Toronto — turnovers, offensive droughts, injury — but bringing the series home always shakes things up a little bit. That’s what the Raptors were banking on, anyway.

After a little bit of a rough start — a few early fouls for Scottie Barnes, another quiet night from Brandon Ingram, some turnovers — the Raptors finally seemed to settle into the game. In a fourth-quarter push fuelled by Jamison Battle’s impressive shooting, RJ Barrett’s love for the city of Toronto, and Barnes being a menace, the Raptors made Bay Street rock as they secured their first big lead of the series.

Ultimately, the Raptors got the win 126-104 over the Cavaliers to win game three, bringing the series to 2-1 and avoiding putting themselves in an elimination situation.

They showed up when it mattered most.

Salute to Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett pic.twitter.com/vluCcMa66g

— Libaan Osman (@libaanstar1) April 24, 2026

There were so many impressive things from this game.

Scottie Barnes plays most impactful game of his career

Barnes was everywhere for the Raptors in their win in game three, cementing likely his most important game since coming into the NBA. Wherever the team needed him, he was there. He scored 33 points and had 11 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block while shooting 11-for-17 from the field.

“Nothing surprised me,” Darko Rajakovic said about Scottie’s night. “I know he’s going to put everything out there for his team to win a game.”

Games like this are why Barnes has been given the keys to lead this team. When he plays like this, he’s an unstoppable force that can shift the energy of a series. He puts the team on his back and leads by example.

When it came to what was in Barnes’s mind through that game he mentioned they were trying to “focus on one possession at a time, we were playing so hard… control what we can control and live with the results.”

That energy will be needed on Sunday if the Raptors want to even out their series on Sunday.

“We got a lot more, we need to keep making adjuments,” Barnes said, “We have so much we can improve, we still have a lot of work to do.”

RJ Barrett represents for the home team

First playoff game in Toronto for the kid from Mississauga, and did he ever show out for it. He joined Barnes in scoring 33 points in the game, along with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 1 block while shooting 12-for-19 from the field.

“I know he was very exited to play a game in front of home crowd,” Rajakovic said about Barrett after the game. “I know he gave it all, all his preparation — he did extra work to put himself in a position to help the team win.”

The crowd was giving him the support he needed in the second half as he went nuclear to help the Raptors expand the lead and take a 10+ point lead.

“That was great, energy in the building was crazy,” Barrett said after the fact, “they definitely helped us out.”

With Ingram struggling to find his rhythm in this series, Barrett absolutely needed to step up in order for the Raptors to have any chance of winning this game. This game and how he handled the moment might change the trajectory of his career as he becomes extension eligible this summer.

Jamison Battle loves playing the Cavaliers

Jamison Battle checked into this game in the second half and just went off, shooting 100% from three and 100% from the field. He was a huge part of the momentum shift in the second half that sent the Raptors on a run that would ultimately win them the game.

The funny part is, he did something very similar when the Raptors played the Cavaliers back near the beginning of the season.

“Ultimate professional, always keeps himself ready, always putting in the work,” Rajakovic said of Battle’s contributions to the team.

“He’s been ready whenever his name is called, we are not surpised but happy to have him on out side,” RJ Barrett added.

The work is far from over though, as the Raptors are still down 2-1 in the series. They have another home game on Sunday before heading back to Cleveland for game five. If they are able to win Sunday’s game and even the series 2-2, that will also guarantee another game in Toronto for game six. If the Raptors keep playing like they did in the final stretch of tonight’s game, there is definitely a chance for that to happen.

The Cleveland Cavaliers took a blow in their first game on the road against the Toronto Raptors.

Let’s go over today’s losers, because there are no winners. Except the Tyson family, who deserve an honorary shout-out.

LOSER – Turnovers

Let’s start by setting the table. Or, like the Cavs, by spilling things all over the place and causing a mess.

Cleveland opened this game with nine turnovers in the first quarter. That’s enough to break your back in the NBA Playoffs. The Cavs somehow managed to weather the storm and stay within two possessions at the end of the quarter — but it set the stage for how poorly things would go.

Every potential run from the Cavaliers was met by these self-inflicted errors. That’s not to take anything away from the Raptors, whose length and athleticism contributed directly to those turnovers, but throwing the ball into the third row (like James Harden did in the second half) is something most NBA players can avoid.

“I didn’t think our spacing was great,” said Kenny Atkinson after the game. “Crowding the paint on our drives… they decided they really want to pack it, and I felt like we were trying to thread the needle too much trying to pass it in there.”

Dennis Schroder played five minutes in the first half. He turned it over three times in that stint and didn’t play the rest of the game.

Harden finished with a game-high 8 turnovers. That was his first playoff game with as many turnovers since 2019, when he was with the Houston Rockets. Some of his more careless giveaways were tough to watch. Though again, Toronto deserves credit for swarming him and making life a living hell.

The Raptors forced Cleveland into 20 turnovers overall. They took those for 23 points off turnovers. That was more than enough to erase any marginal advantage the Cavs had gained on the offensive glass (16-11). The truth is, if you give up that many possessions, you lose the game more often than not.

LOSER – The Paint

Much will be made of the Cavaliers’ three-point defense in this game. Trust me, anyone who has read FTS this season has heard plenty of complaints about how this team has defended the perimeter.

But while Toronto shot 14-23 (60%) from downtown in Game 3, the Cavs matched them in lockstep with 14 makes of their own. What truly buried the Cavs was Toronto’s dominance in the paint, outscoring Cleveland 60-40 in the restricted area.

Scottie Barnes bruised them for 33 points on 8-12 shooting from two-point range. RJ Barrett and Collin Murray Boyles joined in on the fun, combining for 55 points while shooting 17-26 inside the arc.

Meanwhile, the Cavs relied almost entirely on their outside shot. Cleveland took 45 three-point attempts and only 36 shots inside the arc. Harden, Mitchell, and Mobley took a combined 42 shot attempts, half coming from the three-point line, where they shot 4-21.

That’s the difference.

“He [Boyles] is a warrior, to be honest with you,” said Raptors’ coach Darko Rajakovic after the game. “I thought he had a high-level performance tonight and I contribute that to the power of his will.”

Toronto’s hot shooting obviously opened the floor for them to dominate the paint. Cleveland’s bigs, especially, started to drift further out to the three-point line at the cost of giving easier drives to the basket for the Raptors. I’d say they should have stuck to the game plan and walled off the interior — but the Raptors simply couldn’t miss, so I can’t fully blame the Cavs for overreacting and trying to stay within range of three-point shooters.

Nonetheless, Cleveland should be winning the battle of the paint. You can’t always control whether your opponent will catch fire from downtown. But you can control the paint. Mobley and Allen weren’t impactful enough tonight, even with their four blocks. Harden and Mitchell were also tested, routinely being put into Toronto’s actions and failing to meet the moment.

The Raptors won’t replicate their 60% three-point shooting again. At least, I wouldn’t expect them to. But I have no reason to believe they can’t replicate what they did in the paint.

The Cavs have to work harder in this regard or risk going back home with a tied series.

LOSER – 4th Quarter Battle

After (somehow) keeping this game close for 40 minutes, everything I mentioned finally came back to bite the Cavs in the fourth quarter.

Jamison Battle jumped off the bench and nailed four-of-four three-point attempts. Barrett doused more gasoline on the fire while Barnes and CMB repeatedly forced the Cavaliers to launch their own three-point shots to no avail. Controlling the paint, nailing three-pointers, and forcing turnovers was the path to victory for Toronto.

What followed was a 43-23 thrashing in the fourth quarter.

I think it’s worth reiterating that the Cavs did have this game within range before that final blow. It was a two-point game going into the final frame — and genuinely, nothing about the style of the previous 36 minutes was dramatically different from the closing 12.

In other words, you could look at this game from two different perspectives. Glass half full? The Cavs played poorly, Toronto was red-hot, and yet the game was still within reach for most of the night.

Half empty? The Raptors showed they can dictate the terms of engagement for 48 minutes and have a spark going into Game 4.

“We’ll bounce back,” said Aktinson. “This is part of the playoffs, it’s part of the process.”

ATLANTA (AP) — CJ McCollum hit a fadeaway jumper with 12.5 seconds left to ruin New York’s night again, leading the Atlanta Hawks to a 109-108 victory and a 2-1 lead over the Knicks in their first-round playoff series on Thursday night.

After starring in a Game 2 stunner at Madison Square Garden, McCollum got the ball with his team trailing by a point. He came through again from 15 feet, finishing with 23 points.

The Hawks led nearly the entire game, building an 18-point lead in the first half. But New York rallied for a 108-105 edge on Jalen Brunson’s three-point play with 1:03 remaining.

After Jalen Johnson, who led the Hawks with 24 points, rolled in a shot, Josh Hart missed a 3-pointer for the Knicks. New York got the offensive rebound, but couldn’t get off a shot ahead of the 24-second clock.

The Knicks failed to get off a shot at the end, either, as Jonathan Kuminga knocked the ball away from Brunson and the horn sounded.

Kuminga had a huge night for the Hawks off the bench, finishing with 21 points.

OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 29 points, Brunson had 26 and Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in with 21. It wasn’t enough for New York.

Game 4 is Saturday in Atlanta.

RAPTORS 126, CAVALIERS 104

TORONTO (AP) — Scottie Barnes set career playoff highs with 33 points and 11 assists, RJ Barrett added a career playoff-high 33 points and Toronto beat Cleveland, snapping a 12-game playoff losing streak against the Cavaliers.

Collin Murray-Boyles had 22 points, Jamison Battle scored all of his 14 points in the final quarter and Brandon Ingram added 12 as the Raptors cut Cleveland’s lead in the Eastern Conference first-round series to 2-1.

Game 4 is Sunday afternoon in Toronto.

Murray-Boyles is the first Raptors rookie to score 20 or more in a playoff game.

The Cavaliers matched the NBA postseason record for consecutive victories against a single opponent by winning Game 2 on Monday but couldn’t extend that run in Toronto.

James Harden scored 18 points while Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Max Strus all had 15.

TIMBERWOLVES 113, NUGGETS 96

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jaden McDaniels and Minnesota flexed even more of their defensive muscle against flagging Denver, seizing a 2-1 lead in the first-round NBA playoff series with a dominant 113-96 victory in Game 3 on Thursday night.

McDaniels had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Ayo Dosunmu added 25 points and nine assists off the bench, and Donte DiVincenzo had 15 points and four steals for the surging Timberwolves.

Rudy Gobert followed his inspired Game 2 effort against Nikola Jokic by stifling the three-time MVP again on an ugly 7-for-26 shooting night, and the Timberwolves established a postseason franchise record by allowing the Nuggets just 11 points in the tone-setting first quarter.

Jokic finished with a too-little-too-late 27 points and 15 rebounds for the Nuggets, who were missing Aaron Gordon to a calf injury and all of the energy he provides from his starting power forward spot. Jamal Murray had 16 points on just 5-for-17 shooting.

Brad Underwood is hitting the road this week with two of his staffers.

But it’s not a recruiting trip.

Illinois’ head coach visited Minnesota on Thursday ahead of Game 3 of the NBA playoffs between the Timberwolves and Nuggets.

Underwood posted a photo of him with former Illini star Ayo Dosunmu and two Illini staffers (Tyler Underwood and Zach Hamer).

📍🌲 @AyoDos_11pic.twitter.com/yNSYDhgkbo

— Brad Underwood (@CoachUnderwood) April 24, 2026

No word on if BU & Co. also paid a visit to Ayo’s T-Wolves teammate Terrence Shannon Jr., but it’d be a fair assumption they crossed paths sometime.

Minnesota was up big at half over Denver.