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Live Updates: 2026 NBA Playoffs, First Round | Knicks visit Hawks in Atlanta for Game 3

Welcome to the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs! We've got a trio of Games 3s tonight, starting with Knicks-Hawks on Prime Video.

The Denver Nuggets travel to face the Minnesota Timberwolves for Game 3, with both squads looking to secure a 2-1 series lead.

We’re bringing you the best of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the meaningful moments, performances, observations, news, notes and highlights from Thursday’s action.

We’ve got a triple-header on one of the best basketball days of the year!

What we know about Thursday’s Game 3s:

  • Knicks-Hawks heads to Atlanta with the series tied 1-1 (7:00 p.m. ET, Prime). Dating back to the regular season, three of the five matchups between these teams have been decided by one possession.
  • Cavs look to take commanding 3-0 lead, while the Raptors look to bounce back at home (8:00 p.m. ET, Prime). After back-to-back double–digit victories, the Cavaliers look to become the first team to take a 3-0 lead this postseason. Toronto will be playing their first home playoff game since 2022. 
  • Pivotal game 3 heads to Minnesota as Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets take on Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves (9:30 p.m. ET, Prime). Since the start of the 2022–23 season, no matchup has been more frequent than Nuggets vs. Timberwolves: 30 meetings across the regular season and playoffs, split evenly at 15–15.

APRIL 23, 2026 / 7:44 ET

Raining 3s in the ATL

Jonathan Kuminga catches fire with 10 points on 4-for-4 shooting and two made 3s off Atlanta’s bench, sparking a 33-21 edge for the Hawks after one quarter. Atlanta is shooting 6-for-8 (75%) from downtown, while New York is just 2-for-12 (16.7%) through 12 minutes.

Jalen Brunson (11 pts) and OG Anunoby (10 pts, 1 stl, 1 blk) are the engines so far for the Knicks.

APRIL 23, 2026 / 7:28 ET

Hawks feeling it in 1Q

Atlanta puts together a 9-2 run, forcing a timeout from New York. The Hawks lead 13-9 with 5:36 remaining in the opening quarter.

OG Anunoby (7 pts, 1 stl, 1 blk) and Jalen Johnson (5 pts, 4 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl) are bringing the energy.

APRIL 23, 2026 / 7:19 ET

Knicks-Hawks live on Prime!

New York is off to a 7-4 lead over Atlanta thanks to a quick 5 points from OG Anunoby, while CJ McCollum’s 3 points pace the Hawks.

APRIL 23, 2026 / 6:30 ET

Starting Lineups: Knicks-Hawks, Game 3

Jalen Johnson and the Atlanta Hawks host Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks for Game 3 of their 2026 NBA Playoffs first round series on Prime. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

  • New York:
    • PG – Jalen Brunson (28.5 ppg, 7.0 apg)
    • SG – Mikal Bridges (10.5 ppg, 30.0% on 5.0 3PA)
    • SF – OG Anunoby (16.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.5 spg)
    • PF – Josh Hart (13.0 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 5.5 apg, 2.0 spg)
    • C – Karl-Anthony Towns (21.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.5 bpg)
  • Atlanta:
    • PG – CJ McCollum (29.0 ppg, 36.8% on 9.5 3PA)
    • SG – Nickeil Alexander-Walker (13.0 ppg, 5.0 apg, 2.0 bpg)
    • SF – Dyson Daniels (5.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 6.5 apg, 2.5 spg)
    • PF – Jalen Johnson (20.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.0 apg)
    • C – Onyeka Okongwu (17.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 66.7% on 4.5 3PA)

APRIL 23, 2026 / 6:25 ET

Starting Lineups: Cavaliers-Raptors, Game 3

Evan Mobley and the Cleveland Cavaliers face Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors in Game 3 of their 2026 NBA Playoffs first round series on Prime.

  • Cleveland:
    • PG – James Harden (23.6 ppg, 8.0 ast)
    • SG – Donovan Mitchell (27.9 ppg, 5.7 ast)
    • SF – Dean Wade (5.8 ppg, 36.2% on 3.3 3PA)
    • PF – Evan Mobley (18.2 ppg, 9.0 reb, 1.7 blk)
    • C – Jarrett Allen (15.4 ppg, 8.5 reb)
  •  Toronto:
    • PG – Ja’Kobe Walter (10.5 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 1.5 apg)
    • SG – RJ Barrett (19.1 ppg, 49.1 FG%)
    • SF – Brandon Ingram (21.5 ppg, 38.2% on 4.6 3PA)
    • PF – Scottie Barnes (18.1 ppg, 7.5 reb, 5.6 ast)
    • C – Jakob Poeltl (10.7 ppg, 7.0 reb)

The Raptors won the season series over the Cavaliers 3-0, with a double-digit margin of victory in each game. All three occurred before Cleveland acquired James Harden.

APRIL 23, 2026 / 7:47 ET

Today’s injury report

Immanuel Quickley (hamstring) is out for the Raptors.

Jock Landale (ankle) is out for the Hawks.

Anthony Edwards (right knee injury management) is questionable for the Timberwolves, while Jaylen Clark (illness) and Terrence Shannon, Jr. (illness) are both out.

Aaron Gordon (calf) and Peyton Watson (hamstring) have both been ruled out for the Nuggets.

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