Knicks romp past Cavaliers 99-79, take 2-1 series lead
NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 21 points, RJ Barrett broke out of a slump with 19 and the New York Knicks rolled to a 2-1 lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first-round playoff series with a 99-79 victory. The Knicks emphatically bounced back from a loss in Game 2 and moved halfway to their first series victory since 2013. Josh Hart added 13 points for the fifth-seeded Knicks, who host Game 4 on Sunday. They haven’t reached the second round since beating Boston in 2013.
Jokic has triple-double, Nuggets beat T-wolves for 3-0 lead
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Nikola Jokic had his seventh career triple-double in the playoffs with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists as the Denver Nuggets fended off the Minnesota Timberwolves 120-111 to take a 3-0 lead in their first-round NBA playoff series. Michael Porter Jr. pitched in 25 points and nine rebounds and Jamal Murray had 18 points and nine assists as Denver withstood another dashing performance by Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards. Edwards scored 36 points to raise his series total to 95. Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points after totaling only 21 points over the first two games for the Wolves.
Young scores 32, Hawks beat Celtics 130-122 to close to 2-1
ATLANTA (AP) — Trae Young scored 32 points in his best game of the playoffs and the Atlanta Hawks gave themselves a glimmer of hope, beating the Boston Celtics 130-122 to close the gap to 2-1 in their opening-round series. Young hit a step-back 3-pointer from the corner with 2:21 left and knocked down another huge basket on a floater in the lane with 45 seconds remaining after Jaylen Brown missed a 3-pointer that would’ve tied it for the Celtics. The Hawks will try to even the series in Game 4 Sunday night at State Farm Arena. Jayson Tatum scored 29 points to lead Boston, which was barely challenged in the first two games of the series.
