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.
ATLANTA — On his long list of things he believed went wrong, Mike Brown included the officiating.
When asked about the Hawks’ ability to close out on 3-point shooters after the Knicks’ 109-108 Game 3 loss at State Farm Arena, Brown explained how he wanted his players to drive past them and get into the paint.
But, when they got to the paint, Brown believes they weren’t getting deserved fouls.
Mike Brown talks to reporters after the Knicks’ 109-108 Game 3 loss to the Hawks on April 23, 2026 in Atlanta. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“They’re closing out hard,” Brown said. “And when they close out hard, we gotta drive the basketball. I do think it’s a tough game for the officials to officiate. But I know we got fouled on a few of the drives that didn’t get called. It’s tough to see 20-26 [free-throw discrepancy] in a one-possession game when you know for sure there were a couple of fouls that should’ve been called.”
The lineup Brown used for most of the fourth quarter as the Knicks mounted their comeback — Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns, with Mikal Bridges benched — was plus-24 in 14 minutes across the whole game.
“They did a good job of taking care of the basketball,” Brown said. “They were pretty aggressive. Atlanta, they’re trying to get up in us, they’re trying to speed us up, they’re playing physical, and when you face that type of defense, you can’t play on your heels. You can’t be passive at all. You got to be able to rip that ball through and get to the rim. Or if they close out hard, you gotta be able to snap drive and get to the rim.
“That group did a pretty good job of it. They did a pretty good job of trying to get out in transition, too. And then they did a pretty good job of trying to get stops defensively. That’s something that we all have to recognize and embrace.”
Would Brown consider inserting McBride into the starting lineup?
BREAKING NEWS!!! To absolutely nobody, while I’m sure many BYU fans out there were crossing their fingers, holding out hope AJ Dybantsa would run it back for one more year, that stuff simply doesn’t happen. Cooper Flagg played with the same gimmick last year as well. These top prospects need to give their fans a break and stop acting like there’s even a one percent chance they skip out on the NBA Draft.
Dybantsa will continue to take his classes at BYU online, although something tells me he won’t need that degree too badly.
The projected No. 1 NBA draft pick, @AJ_Dybantsa, just dropped a bombshell on “Deseret Voices.” What’s behind him weighing a return to Provo for another season?
Dybantsa, clearly regarded as one of the biggest prizes in this historic 2026 class, with some even thinking he’s the clear choice to be selected number one. I would personally argue with you on Dybantsa vs. someone like Darryn Peterson, but there’s no doubt Dybantsa is an incredible prospect, and there is no limit to how far he can go in the NBA.
Honestly speaking, Dybantsa would be a perfect fit on almost any team that had the opportunity to draft him, but let’s be honest, he would fit especially well on the Jazz. Obviously, you have the BYU connection with Ryan Smith, Danny Ainge, and of course Austin Ainge. It’s not just college in which Dybantsa spent his time in Utah—he also spent his last year of high school at Utah Prep in Hurricane, Utah.
Dybantsa would slide right into this Jazz lineup, and honestly, he’d instantly make them one of the contenders in the Western Conference. Dybantsa and Ace Bailey on the wing would be like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown reincarnated! Thank you, Danny Ainge!!
There’s no doubt that if the Jazz do end up selecting Dybantsa, and he pans out how we all expect him to, he could go down as the greatest athlete in the state of Utah’s history. Obviously, we’re still a long ways from that—only about two weeks from now the draft lottery will take place, and we’ll all find out where the Jazz will be picking. If they do get the number one pick, there’s a very strong case for the Jazz to select AJ Dybantsa.
The Jazz have never moved up a single spot in the NBA Draft Lottery’s history.
Utah has also never selected at No. 1 overall.
If you’re looking for a team historically overdue for lottery luck, Utah stands out.
We’ll see what happens, but it’s now official—Dybantsa will be playing NBA basketball next season, and only a few months from now in Summer League. Let’s cross our fingers for lottery night, Jazz fans!
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:
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - FEBRUARY 05: Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith looks on during the second half of a game against the Golden State Warriors at Delta Center on February 05, 2025 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the most important elements of this site, the thing I find close to sacred, is that we don’t censor what we say or do. That is for other sites or reporters to do, whether it’s to stay in the good graces of the team’s PR department or of their sources. At SLC Dunk, we don’t sugarcoat.
But that doesn’t mean we just criticize (I’ve definitely said some things on my show, or written them here, in the heat of a terrible … win … during this rebuild). It means we also have to call out the good when we see it, and I have to show some appreciation for Ryan Smith.
This Tom Dundon situation in Portland is bad, really bad. It may not seem like it now, with him being a fresh owner, but the stories of him looking for cheap options for a wide array of options are not going to create the image he wants.
If you haven’t heard, here’s a list of things reported…
Looking for the cheapest option for head coach
Apparently, Dundon only wants to pay $1M for his next head coach.
New Blazers owner Tom Dundon is reportedly looking to pay his next head coach in the $1 million per year range — roughly 25% of the NBA market rate, per @billoram
"About those rumors… Some say Dundon, whose group is paying $4.25 billion for the franchise, wants to pay in the… pic.twitter.com/pH63wB6Sz0
By the way, Tiago Splitter is seeing all this while being the current head coach. Not great. And apparently, he’s fine just bringing in any sort of coach, and that will somehow work out for the team.
Tiago Splitter discussed a contract during the season but the salary presented to him to was far below a standard NBA head coaching salary, per @ramonashelburne
The Trail Blazers are now looking for candidates to replace him next season while they are tied 1-1 in the Playoffs pic.twitter.com/G7BACG6iRl
Ryan Smith deserves a ton of praise for finding a great head coach in Will Hardy, paying him market value, and signing him long-term when it was clear he was a great coach. Knowing that the Jazz don’t have to deal with this kind of nonsense is a great reflection on ownership that appears to learn, grow, and evolve with each decision they make.
Dundon isn’t flying his two-way players to playoff games
Dundon is apparently trying to save money on flights after paying billions for an entire basketball team.
In the latest of Tom Dundon's cost-cutting measures, the Blazers are the only playoff team that didn't send their two-way players (who are ineligible to play in the playoffs) on the road for Games 1 and 2 this weekend.
It’s pretty wild that a person could be willing to spend this amount of money on a team but then cut minor costs like this, especially with your own players. What kind of message does this send to them?
He’s also apparently not flying out team photographers?
Trail Blazers left team photographer, digital reporter home for road playoff games amid cost-cutting measures https://t.co/Exot2dOfkn
For Utah, we have an owner who has included all of these players. He’s allowed the front office to make multiple signings, and we don’t hear about players missing games for any reason other than to get playing time with the Stars. These are not things to be taken for granted, but they probably do. Thank you, Ryan!
Apparently, Dundon doesn’t even love Oregon
This one’s really not great if I’m a Blazers fan. To have an owner doing cheap-o cost-cutting like this, and you’re hearing he doesn’t even love Oregon? I’d be nervous.
Could you imagine Ryan Smith saying anything other than “Utah is great”? It’s one of his most well-known missions to sing the praises of Utah. As a fellow lover of Utah, I appreciate it! I don’t know if Ryan Smith’s moves have made monumental changes, but there are signs that it’s going well, and more and more players are making it clear they enjoy it here. It’s good work by a very good owner!
Dundon wants to fire a mascot
The economy is bad, but I guess it’s really bad when you’re going to fire Blaze the Trail Cat or Douglas Fur.
A source told me that Dundon doesn't think the Blazers should have two mascots – Blaze the Trail Cat AND the secondary mascot Douglas Fur. He's looking at everything the team is doing & questioning whether or not it is necessary in his mind. #NBA#RipCityhttps://t.co/YrZKuAb1f2
Jokes aside, firing a mascot is not a sign of caring about the fan experience. Who doesn’t like mascots?
This report comes a few weeks after the Utah Mammoth’s Zammoth unveiling. It’s a Zamboni that doesn’t actually … zambone …? Is that what it’s called? It’s purely cool and fun, and it improves the fan experience. And I bet it was expensive. This is another win for Ryan Smith and a sign that Utah has an owner who gets it.
This is a reminder not to take for granted when you have a good owner. Owners make more decisions and are more involved than fans probably realize. When you have an owner that doesn’t care, one that’s cheap, one that’s corrupt, or just a bad one, it can make it impossible for a team to get over the hump.
If there’s one moment in Jazz history that could go down as a hugely important one, it’s when Gail Miller set up a trust that eventually sold the team to Ryan Smith.
Now, this isn’t to say that Smith hasn’t made mistakes, because he has, but from my perspective, he’s always been willing to pivot quickly and evolve. It’s a great trait and one that I personally appreciate.
So, thank you, Ryan Smith, you’re doing great, and Jazz fans should appreciate you! I know I do.
MINNEAPOLIS — Jaden McDaniels and the Minnesota Timberwolves flexed even more of their defensive muscle against the flagging Denver Nuggets, 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.
McDaniels, who flatly answered a question about Minnesota’s offensive strategy after Game 2 by labeling all of Denver’s players “bad defenders,” proved to be more prescient than reckless with his assessment. Rather than irking the Nuggets, he had himself and his teammates fired up as the series shifted to their home court.
The Wolves turned loose their primary wing players — McDaniels, DiVincenzo and Dosunmu — to repeatedly attack the basket as they raced around the Nuggets at every turn in the first half on the way to a 61-39 lead.
McDaniels added a 3-pointer and a one-handed slam in traffic down the stretch in one of his finest performances in the postseason for Minnesota.
TORONTO — Scottie Barnes set career playoff highs with 33 points and 11 assists, RJ Barrett added a career playoff-high 33 points and the Toronto Raptors beat Cleveland 126-104 on Thursday night, 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.
“We knew we needed everybody for this win and you’ve seen some big performances from everybody,” Barnes said. “It just goes to show how resilient, how bad we wanted it. We went out there and tried to do whatever it took.”
Barnes had five rebounds and shot 11 for 17, making 3 of 5 from distance and going 8 for 10 at the line. He had three fouls at halftime but didn’t pick up another the rest of the way.
“He did everything for us tonight,” Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic said.
Murray-Boyles is the first Raptors rookie to score 20 or more in a playoff game.
“He’s not afraid of the moment,” Barrett said.
Up 83-81 after three quarters, Toronto pulled away by shooting 8 for 9 from 3–point range in the fourth, outscoring Cleveland 43-23. Battle went 4 for 4 from long range in the final period.
Barrett finished 6 for 8 from distance.
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.
Harden shot 5 for 13, going 3 for 10 from long range.
“They did a heck of a job,” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said of Toronto’s defense on Harden. “They made him work.”
Mitchell shot 7 for 16 and went 1 for 7 from distance, while Mobley shot 4 for 13 and missed all four of his 3-point attempts.
Jaylon Tyson scored 13 points and Jarrett Allen had 12.
Toronto scored 23 points off 22 Cleveland turnovers.
Cleveland’s streak of playoff wins against Toronto began in the 2016 Eastern Conference finals, when the Cavaliers won the final three games. Cleveland swept Toronto in the second round in both 2017 and 2018.
Cleveland also has 12-game postseason winning streaks against Detroit and Atlanta. The Los Angeles Lakers won 12 consecutive playoff games against Seattle from 1980 through 1989.
Toronto guard Immanuel Quickley (right hamstring) remained out.
ATLANTA — 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.
Hawks coach Quin Snyder called it “a great shot,” but stressed the effort of his entire team.
“They work, they share,” Snyder said. “That’s the thing about this group that I’ve enjoyed so much.”
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.
“You couldn’t ask for anything better than that,” Knicks coach Mike Brown lamented. “Less than a minute to go in the game and a chance to go up by three.”
The Knicks failed to get off a shot at the end, either, as Brunson turned the ball over and the horn sounded.
Jonathan 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.
Brown griped about the officiating, believing the refs missed some calls at the basket. But he stressed that his team must make better decisions going forward.
Game 4 is Saturday in Atlanta.
“They’re closing out hard,” Brown said of the Hawks. ”It’s a tough game for the officials to officiate, but I know we got fouled on a few of the tries that didn’t get called.”
McCollum picked up where he left off at Madison Square Garden, hitting a step-back jumper beyond the arc for Atlanta’s first points. He had 16 by the halftime break.
McCollum showed off more than his offensive skills. After Hart scooped up a loose ball and drove toward the hoop with only the Atlanta guard to beat, McCollum blocked the shot and sent the ball off Hart’s foot to give possession back to the Hawks.
The Hawks outscored the Knicks 27-12 over the final seven minutes of the opening quarter, turning the game in their favor with an 11-0 spurt and closing the period with three straight 3-pointers. The first was by little-used center Mouhamed Gueye, left wide open by the New York defense, followed by two straight from backup forward Kuminga to send the State Farm Arena crowd into a frenzy.
But, with the Hawks on the verge of blowing the game open late in the first half, New York closed the period on a 12-2 run. Atlanta went to the locker room with a 58-50 lead.
Apr 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets guard Josh Okogie (20) defends Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) during the second half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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.
ATLANTA — The Knicks have a Mitchell Robinson dilemma.
Not with his production, though that also wasn’t strong during the Knicks’ Game 3 loss Thursday at State Farm Arena. But rather with his ability to play well with Karl-Anthony Towns while sharing the court.
And with Towns scoring 21 points and helping carry the Knicks’ offense down the stretch, that meant Robinson finished with just 11 minutes, two points and four rebounds during their 109-108 loss — and didn’t play for the final 9:25.
“We need something from everybody, and the reality of what happened was — we ended up going with KAT. KAT played a significant amount of minutes for us because he was rolling in that second half,” head coach Mike Brown said, when asked specifically about Robinson — who wasn’t available after the game.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) slam the ball for his lone two points of Game 3 on April 23, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
It served as a stark contrast to Robinson’s Game 2, when he finished with 12 points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting and seven rebounds. That was the blueprint.
That was a blend of rebounding — his strength — and what he could provide on offense, too.
But three nights later, that disappeared. His lone basket occurred with just under four minutes remaining in the first half, when Jalen Brunson hit him on a roll to the basket. Robinson didn’t attempt a free throw the entire game, either.
The Hawks didn’t need to use the hack-a-Mitch strategy when he wasn’t on the court late in the half to begin with.
Brown talked about the lingering issue pregame, too — with how Robinson and Towns have struggled to share the court together — and how one of the only ways for Robinson to play more is to have Towns on the bench.
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) drives to the basket against Atlanta Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga (0). AP
“The combination of the two of them right now hasn’t been great,” Brown said beforehand, “and so I’m choosing to not play them together right now during the series a lot because of the matchups and stuff like that. At the end of the day, it’s a choice.”
Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) puts up a shot as Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) defends.
ATLANTA — Josh Hart delivered his first playoff dud — at least scoring-wise — at the worst time.
For the opening two games, he was consistent for the Knicks. Entering the postseason, his 3-point shooting was something that could make the difference down the stretch — just like it did against the Celtics late in the regular season.
He finished 1-for-9 shooting at State Farm Arena and missed all four of his 3-pointers. Hart still produced nine rebounds, six assists and played strong defense on CJ McCollum after he was switched onto him in the second half, but when his scoring faltered, it left the Knicks too dependent on Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby.
Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) puts up a shot as Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) defends on April 23, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I mean, yeah, they just didn’t go,” Hart said. “… I gotta make them.”
This has become a recurring issue for Hart throughout the first-round series, too. He entered Thursday with just one made 3-pointer, despite hitting a career-best 41.3 percent of his shots from beyond the arc during the regular season.
He had a bad turnover in transition late in the first quarter, as he dribbled the ball off his leg and out of bounds, and his only basket occurred with 7:35 remaining — when Towns fed him a pass and he deposited it through the net.
If there was a silver lining for Hart, and a glimmer of hope for the Knicks, too, Mike Brown switched him onto McCollum at the start of the second half, and Hart was effective in limiting the Hawks’ star — who erupted for 32 points in Game 1 and another 16 in the opening half Thursday — when matched up with him.
“I just tried to make it tough for him,” Hart said. “That was the biggest thing, just try to make it tough for him, force him into tough shots.”
But the ineffectiveness on offense will sting. And the 3-point shooting — and his specifically — has quickly become a Knicks problem.
“I feel like we had good shots,” Hart said. “We didn’t knock them down.”
TORONTO, ON - April 23 In second half action, RJ Barrett (9) of the Toronto Raptors gets mixed up with Jarrett Allen (31) of the Cleveland CavaliersThe Toronto Raptors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 126-104 in game 3 of the first round of the playoffs in NBA basketball action at the Scotiabank Arena. April 23 2026 Richard Lautens/Toronto Star (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
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.
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.
TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 23: Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors dribbles the ball during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Round One Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 23, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
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.
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.
