Top Stories

Live Updates: 2026 NBA Playoffs, First Round | Home Teams All Win Game 1

The 2026 NBA Playoffs begin today! All four home teams took care of Game 1

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 the day’s action.

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

What we know after Saturday’s games:

  • Cavaliers Defeat Raptors in Game 1: Cleveland shot 54 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range in their Game 1 victory. Donovan Mitchell led the way with 32 points, while James Harden had a 22-point, 10-assist double-double.
  • Nuggets Defeat Timberwolves in Game 1 on Prime. Denver ripped off a 14-0 run in the third quarter and took command from there. Nikola Jokić recorded another triple-double while Jamal Murray led the team with 30 points.
  • Knicks Defeat Hawks in Game 1 on Prime: New York took care of business with a home win in Game 1. They led by 19 points in the fourth quarter. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 53 points. 
  • The Lakers Defeat the Rockets on ABC: Los Angeles had one of its best offensive performances of the season, shooting 61 percent from the field and 53 percent from 3-point range.

Saturday’s Scores

 

Cavaliers 126, Raptors 113 (CLE leads 1-0)

Nuggets 116, Timberwolves 105 – (DEN leads 1-0)

Knicks 113, Hawks 102 – (NYK leads 1-0)

Lakers 107, Rockets 98 – (LA leads 1-0)

 

Top Performers of the Day

 

-Nikola Jokić collected 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

-Jamal Murray had 30 points, five rebounds and seven assists in that victory.

-Donovan Mitchell amassed 32 points, three rebounds, four assists and two steals in a victory against the Toronto Raptors.

-James Harden had 22 points and 10 assists in that win.

-Jalen Brunson finished with 28 points, five rebounds and seven assists in a win over the Atlanta Hawks.

-Karl-Anthony Towns tallied 25 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks as well.

-LeBron James provided 19 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists in a win over the Houston Rockets. Luke Kennard also scored 27 points.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 11:18 ET

Lakers Defeat Rockets, 107-98

Los Angeles shot 61 percent from the field and 53 percent from 3-point range while holding Houston to 38 percent from the field and 33 percent from long range.

Luke Kennard led the way with 27 points, four rebounds and three assists.

LeBron James tallied 19 points, eight rebounds and 13 assists.

Deandre Ayton amassed 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Game 2 will be on Tuesday.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 10:52 ET

Lakers Lead Rockets After 3Q, 75-66

Los Angeles has held the lead for all but a few minutes in this game.

The Lakers are shooting 57 percent from the field while holding the Rockets to 33 percent.

Luke Kennard leads LA with 18 points and four rebounds.

LeBron James had 10 points, five rebounds and 10 assists.

Amen Thompson leads Houston with 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 10:24 ET

Top Performers of the Day

-Nikola Jokić collected 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

-Jamal Murray had 30 points, five rebounds and seven assists in that victory.

-Donovan Mitchell amassed 32 points, three rebounds, four assists and two steals in a victory against the Toronto Raptors.

-James Harden had 22 points and 10 assists in that win.

-Jalen Brunson finished with 28 points, five rebounds and seven assists in a win over the Atlanta Hawks.

-Karl-Anthony Towns tallied 25 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks as well.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 9:52 ET

Lakers Lead Rockets at the Half, 50-48

That second quarter was a defensive struggle, with Houston outscoring Los Angeles, 19-17.

The Lakers are still shooting 65 percent from the field while holding the Rockets to 37 percent shooting.

LeBron James has six points, three rebounds and 10 assists.

Alperen Şengün leads Houston with 11 points, four rebounds and two assists.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 9:26 ET

Lakers Lead Rockets After Q1, 33-29

These shorthanded teams looked poised throughout the first quarter.

The Lakers shot 15-for-19 from the field.

LeBron James recorded the most assists he’s ever had in a quarter, dishing out eight assists.

Luke Kennard leads LA with 11 points.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 9:00 ET

Knicks Defeat Hawks, 113-102

New York leads this series, 1-0.

The Knicks shot 48 percent from the field and 48 percent from 3-point range.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 28 points, five rebounds and seven assists.

Karl-Anthony Towns tallied 25 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks.

CJ McCollum led Atlanta with 26 points.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 8:43 ET

Lakers-Rockets Starters Announced

Houston will be without Kevin Durant, while Los Angeles will play without Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić

The Lakers have won four of their last five games against the Rockets.

Check out the action on ABC

APRIL 18, 2026 / 8:19 ET

Knicks Lead Hawks After 3Q, 83-74

New York is shooting 48 percent from the field and 47 percent from 3-point range.

Jalen Brunson leads all scorers with 26 points, five rebounds and six assists.

CJ McCollum leads Atlanta with 22 points.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 7:58 ET

Cavaliers and Nuggets Take Game 1s

Cleveland and Denver both took care of homecourt earlier.

The Cavaliers beat the Raptors, 126-113.

The Nuggets beat the Timberwolves, 116-105

Nikola Jokić recorded a triple-double for Denver while Donovan Mitchell led the Cavs with 32 points.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 7:29 ET

Knicks Lead Hawks at the Half, 57-55

There were four ties and six lead changes in the opening half.

New York shot 49 percent from the field while Atlanta is sitting at 46 percent.

Jalen Brunson leads the way with 22 points, three rebounds and three assists.

CJ McCollum leads the Hawks with 17 points.

See the second half on Prime

APRIL 18, 2026 / 6:53 ET

Knicks Lead Hawks After Q1, 30-24

There were six lead changes in what’s looking like a great game.

Jalen Brunson is on fire, collecting 19 points, two rebounds and two assists on 8-for-11 shooting in the opening quarter.

The Knicks are shooting 60 percent from the field and 57 percent from 3-point range.

See the action on Prime

APRIL 18, 2026 / 6:19 ET

Nuggets Defeat Timberwolves in Game 1, 116-105

These teams have played more than any opponents in the NBA over the last three years, and it looks like we’re in for a fun series.

A 14-0 run in the third quarter carried Denver to this win, never relinquishing the lead after that.

Jamal Murray led the way with 30 points, five rebounds and seven assists.

Nikola Jokić had 25 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.

Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and three blocks.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 5:58 ET

Hawks-Knicks Start Shortly

Atlanta and New York kickstart their seven-game series on Prime. 

The Knicks have won five of their last six games over the Hawks.

New York is the three-seed in the East, while Atlanta is the six-seed.

Follow along for updates and highlights.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 5:36 ET

Nuggets Lead Wolves After 3Q, 91-79

Denver ripped off a 14-0 run in that quarter to take this lead.

The Nuggets are shooting 45 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3-point range.

Jamal Murray leads all scorers with 27 points, five rebounds and six assists.

See the finish on Prime

APRIL 18, 2026 / 5:06 ET

Nuggets-Wolves Tied at the Half, 62-62

There were five ties and eight lead changes in that opening half.

Nikola Jokić is on triple-double watch, collecting six points, six rebounds and seven assists.

Jamal Murray scored 17 points, while Jaden McDaniels led Minnesota with 12 points.

See the action on Prime

APRIL 18, 2026 / 4:05 ET

Complete showing from CLE in Game 1 👏

Toronto closed the gap in the fourth quarter, but they were beat rather convincingly in game 1 of this series. James Harden (22 pts, 11 ast) showed why the Cavaliers sought him at the trade deadline. His playoff experience paid dividends while Donovan Mitchell was also in superb form.

Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen put up 27 points and 14 rebounds collectively, on an efficient 11-16 shooting. Max Strus had one of the game’s most meaningful stretches in the third quarter. The sharpshooter ended with 24 points off the bench while shooting 80.0% from the field.

Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes combined for 62 points, but Toronto will have to devise a new strategy to slow down Cleveland’s offense in game 2.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 3:47 ET

Flagrant foul on McDaniels close out

Jamal Murray was able to shake off any signs of injury after landing on Jaden McDaniels’ foot while shooting a first-quarter three. He sank all three free throws, and remains in the game as the Nuggets trail 12-10 just over three minutes into the first quarter.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 3:25 ET

Game 1 starters 📋

Denver won the first three regular season meeting with Minnesota, all by double-digits. The Timberwolves stole their final meeting in March, however. Today, the Western Conference foes start with a fresh slate. Here’s the first five for Denver, led by the triple-double savant, Nikola Jokić.

The visiting Timberwolves are rolling with Donte DiVincenzo at point, flanked by Anthony Edwards with Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle and Rudy rounding out the five.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 3:10 ET

Cavs keep Raps at bay

Cleveland will take a 97-76 lead into the final quarter, after outscoring Toronto by 14 points in the third. The Cavaliers have nailed more free throws and threes than the Raptors, while committing fewer turnovers and holding a double-digit edge on the glass.

Donovan Mitchell added five points in the final 10 seconds of the quarter.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 2:53 ET

Playoff Strus 🔥

Eight unanswered points all from Max Strus prompted a Toronto timeout, as the Raptors try to regroup and dig out of an 15-point hole. Strus leads all scorers with 19 points off the bench, with 3:31 remaining in the third quarter.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 2:33 ET

Cavs open with a 6-0 run

A Dean Wade rebound and dunk caps a hot start to the third quarter for the Cavs, prompting a quick timeout.

It’s 67-54 Cleveland with 10:12 to go in the third quarter.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 2:31 ET

Cavaliers seeking to lock down in the second half

“Playing defense,” said Evan Mobley of the Cavs’ plans as the third quarter began. “We’ve got to be super-physical, bump them off their spots.”

The Cavs never held the Raptors to fewer than 110 points in the regular season. Can they do it today?

APRIL 18, 2026 / 2:20 ET

Cavaliers up 61-54 at the half

James Harden (15 pts, 6 ast) has the Cleveland offense humming so far, complemented by Donovan Mitchell (13 pts, 3 3PM).

Brandon Ingram (13 pts), RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes (11 pts apiece) are all in their groove for the Raptors.

The Cavs have a 24-14 advantage in points in the paint, while the Raptors have an 11-5 advantage in points off turnovers.

It’s been a good one so far on Prime, with six ties and six lead changes, as we open the 2026 NBA Playoffs.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 2:00 ET

A close one on Prime

Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes (9 pts) are leading the offense for the Raptors, while Donovan Mitchell (11 pts) is the top scorer for the Cavaliers.

41-39 Cavaliers with 6:33 to go in the second quarter.

Evan Mobley delivered a 71.0 on the Dunk Score scale here — best on the day so far.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 1:41 ET

Cavaliers surge into the lead

A zinging alley-oop pass from Donovan Mitchell to Max Strus caps the first quarter, with the Cavaliers up 35-31 over the Raptors.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 1:30 ET

Solid shooting so far

The Raptors are up 22-20 with just under three minutes to go in the first quarter, shooting 57.1% from the field so far. The Cavaliers are at 46.7%.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 1:15 ET

Raptors up early

Scottie Barnes knocked down two quick 3-pointers, giving the Raptors an 11-10 lead with 7:39 to go in the first quarter.

Sam Merrill and Ja’Kobe Walter have come into the game, adding shooting for both squads.

APRIL 18, 2026 / 12:45 ET

Get hyped!

The NBA Playoffs are a crucible, a constant test, an opportunity for heroes and villains, triumph and loss.

This is the world’s best basketball, delivered to you night after night.

For LeBron James and Kevin Durant, it’s a chance to add to historic legacies. For Donovan Mitchell, a chance to take his sterling career to the next level. The North is ready to cheer for a new generation of fiery Raptors.

The Knicks have the heart of New York City with them. The Hawks are flying high, with Jalen Johnson getting his first taste of the postseason as the main man.

Nikola Jokić and Anthony Edwards have faced off twice, with each star taking one Playoff series. The Nuggets went on to win the NBA Championship in 2023; the Timberwolves were one round away from the Finals in 2024.  These teams have played each other as much as anyone in the NBA in recent years, and the Playoffs will teach you that familiar foes make for great rivals.

It’s the second season. Spring is turning into summer. The run to June is upon us.

Welcome to the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Get ready.

APRIL 17, 2026 / 12:15 ET

Starting Lineups: Raptors-Cavaliers, Game 1

Evan Mobley and the Cleveland Cavaliers face Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors in Game 1 of their 2026 NBA Playoffs first-round series on Prime.

  •  Toronto:
    • PG Jamal Shead (6.6 ppg, 5.4 ast, +2.8)
    • 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 Poetl (10.7 ppg, 7.0 reb)
  • 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)

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 the Cavaliers acquired James Harden.

APRIL 17, 2026 / 12:00 ET

Today’s injury report

Immanuel Quickley is out for the Raptors. Thomas Bryant is out for the Cavaliers.

Jock Landale is out for the Hawks.

Anthony Edwards is questionable for the Timberwolves, as is Spencer Jones.

Kevin Durant is questionable for the Rockets. Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves remain out for the Lakers.

Related

Latest