ATLANTA (AP) — A second-quarter surge has given the Atlanta Hawks a two-games-to-one lead over the New York Knicks in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Trae Young fueled a 22-5 run that put the Hawks in control by halftime of a 105-94 win over the Knicks. Atlanta outscored New York, 29-13 in the second period to take a 13-point lead.
Young dazzled in the first home playoff game of his career, scoring 21 points and dishing out 14 assists. He led seven Hawks in double figures in scoring, with Clint Capela adding 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Derrick Rose poured in a game-high 30 points for the Knicks, but Julius Randle had a miserable shooting night while adding 14 points and 11 boards. Randle was 2-of-15 from the field, leaving him 13 of 54 for the series.
Game 4 is Sunday in Atlanta.
Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers have pulled within two games to one in their respective first-round series.
Jayson Tatum poured in a playoff career-high 50 points in the Celtics’ 125-119 downing of the Nets. Tatum displayed an array of drives, step-back jumpers and 3-pointers after struggling in the first two games of the series.
Brooklyn cut a 16-point, fourth-quarter deficit to five with just under a minute left but Tatum nailed a step-back jumper.
Marcus Smart added 23 points for the Celtics, and Tristan Thompson gave them a huge lift with 19 points and 13 rebounds.
James Harden led the Nets with 41 points, Kevin Durant had 39 and Kyrie Irving finished with 16 on 6-of-17 shooting. Irving was booed throughout in his first game in Boston in front of fans since leaving the Celts for the Nets.
Game 4 is Sunday.
The Clippers put together a 118-108 win at Dallas as Kawhi Leonard pumped in 36 points and Paul George added 29.
Dallas took a 30-11 lead, but LA’s 14-0 run erased most of the deficit before the end of the first quarter. George gave the Clippers their first lead on a 3-pointer in the second period.
Leonard made his first eight shots, three coming during the 14-0 spurt. George scored 22 before halftime on 10-of-13 shooting.
Mavs guard Luka Doncic made his first four shots, three of them 3-pointers, on his way to a playoff career-high 44 points.
Game 4 is Sunday in Dallas.
