The Atlanta Hawks have stolen Game Two against the New York Knicks, rallying from 14 points down to hand Dyson Daniels his first career playoff win.
Elsewhere, the Cleveland Cavaliers surged to a 2-0 series lead, powered by a combined 58 points from Donovan Mitchell and James Harden in a 115-105 Game Two win over the Toronto Raptors.
The Minnesota Timberwolves also claimed a crucial road victory, with Anthony Edwards leading the way with a 30-point performance.
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WOLVES STEAL ONE ON THE ROAD
Anthony Edwards scored 30 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves staged a double-digit fightback for a series-leveling 119-114 upset of the Denver Nuggets in the NBA playoffs on Monday.
A titanic duel in Denver saw the Wolves overturn an early 19-point deficit before a clinical fourth-quarter display sealed a crucial victory in the best-of-seven Western Conference first-round series.
The Nuggets, 116-105 winners in game one on Saturday, picked up where they left off with a blistering first-quarter performance that pushed them into a 39-25 lead.
But the Timberwolves bounced back in the second quarter to tie the game 64-64 at halftime before edging the second half.
Edwards was backed by 24 points from Julius Randle while Donte DiVincenzo added 16.
Jamal Murray led the Denver scoring with 30 points while Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists.
“We did what we expected to do,” Randle said.
Wolves forward Jaden McDaniels didn’t hold back in his post-match interview, labelling several Nuggets players as “bad defenders”.
“Go at Jokic, Jamal, all the bad defenders, Tim Hardaway, Cam Johnson, Aaron Gordon… the whole team. They’re all bad defenders.”
Meanwhile, Edwards, coming off a 30-point performance, was quick to point out that neither side holds the upper hand with the series tied 1-1. However, he stressed that home-court advantage over the next two games could prove decisive in their push to advance.
“It’s 1-1, there’s no driver’s seat… hopefully our fans rattle them a little bit when they come to our place.”
HAWKS STUN KNICKS AFTER FIERY START TO GAME
The Atlanta Hawks have edged out a dramatic 107–106 win over the New York Knicks in Game Two, handing Dyson Daniels his first career playoff victory.
Tempers flared early between Daniels and Mitchell Robinson, with the pair clashing with 1:01 left in the opening quarter. Robinson was called for an offensive foul after setting an illegal screen, then stepped over Daniels on the floor. Daniels took exception and quickly confronted the Knicks big man, sparking a brief scuffle.
“Dyson Daniels did not like the fact he walked over the top of him,” NBA commentator Noah Eagle said.
“Robinson has been known to certainly be willing.”
Following a review, Robinson was issued a technical foul for the incident.
Veteran CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 32 points, three rebounds and six assists, although two missed free throws with 5.6 seconds remaining nearly proved costly. The Knicks regained possession, with Mikal Bridges getting a look at a game-winner that ultimately fell short.
Daniels finished with six points, four rebounds and two steals in 26 minutes, capping a milestone night with his first playoff win.
For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson led the way with 29 points and seven assists, but a sluggish fourth quarter, where New York managed just 15 points, proved decisive.
With the series now tied 1–1, the Hawks head home with a chance to seize control over the next two games.
CAVS TAKE COMMANDING 2-0 SERIES LEAD
Donovan Mitchell and James Harden combined for 58 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Toronto Raptors 115-105 to take a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven NBA Eastern Conference first-round playoff series on Tuesday.
Fourth seeds Cleveland, convincing 126-113 victors in game one of the series on Sunday, once again proved too strong for fifth-seeded Toronto as they powered to a wire-to-wire victory.
Mitchell finished with 30 points including four three-pointers while Harden finished with 28 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Evan Mobley also had a big night for Cleveland, weighing in with 25 points from an efficient 11-of-13 shooting display.
For the Raptors, Brandon Ingram had himself a rough night, scoring just 7 points, shooting 3/15 from the field while Scottie Barnes poured in a team high 26 points.
The Cavs’ victory provided more evidence that the offensive partnership between Mitchell and the 36-year-old Harden, who was traded to the team in February, is blossoming at the right time for Cleveland.
“He’s been doing it a little bit longer than me but we’ve still been doing it for a long time — just trying to find ways to win,” Mitchell said of Harden.
“Whether it’s passing, it’s rebounding, getting stops — when you have two guys who are trying to chase the same thing, it definitely helps for sure,” Mitchell added.
Toronto’s scoring was led by Scottie Barnes with 26 points while RJ Barrett added 22.
Game three of the series takes place in Toronto on Friday.
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