How did Nikola Jokić perform in Game 1 against Minnesota?

Nikola Jokić recorded 24 points, 15 rebounds, and 9 assists for the Denver Nuggets in their 116-105 Game 1 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 19, 2026. Jamal Murray added 22 points. Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 29 points.

Did Joel Embiid play in Game 1 against Boston?

Yes. Embiid, listed as questionable entering the series with a right knee contusion, started and played 31 minutes, finishing with 26 points and 11 rebounds in Philadelphia's 121-109 loss to the Celtics. Jayson Tatum led Boston with 32 points.

When is Game 2 of the NBA first-round playoff series?

Game 2 for all four series that opened April 19 — Knicks-Hawks, Nuggets-Timberwolves, Celtics-76ers, and Cavaliers-Raptors — is scheduled for April 21, 2026. The Houston Rockets–Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers–San Antonio Spurs series also begin their first games on April 21.

NBA Playoffs Begin: Knicks, Nuggets Win Game 1

The New York Knicks beat Atlanta 113-102 and Denver downed Minnesota 116-105 on April 19 as eight first-round playoff series opened with eight games across both NBA conferences.

The moment the New York Knicks walked into State Farm Arena on April 19, 2026, and held the Atlanta Hawks to 102 points — below their 115.3-point regular-season average — the message was clear: the Eastern Conference's second seed came to defend, not just score.

The Knicks won Game 1, 113-102, behind 27 points from Jalen Brunson and 19 from OG Anunoby, whose rim protection altered 11 Atlanta shots in the first three quarters. The Hawks' Trae Young finished with 24 points but shot 8-of-22 from the field as New York's switching scheme denied him the mid-range pull-ups he prefers in half-court sets. "We've been preparing for this all year," Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said after the game. "We know who they are and they know who we are. It's a seven-game war."

nba playoffs 2026 · basketball playoffs · new york knicks

In the Western Conference afternoon game, the Denver Nuggets dismantled the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-105, with Nikola Jokić recording 24 points, 15 rebounds, and 9 assists — one rebound shy of a triple-double in less than 35 minutes. Anthony Edwards scored 29 for Minnesota in a performance that impressed even Nuggets fans; the problem was the rest of the Minnesota roster, which shot 34% from three-point range and contributed just 76 points combined while Jokić and Jamal Murray (22 points) orchestrated Denver's offense with the methodical patience that has defined two championship runs. Murray's three-pointer with 4:30 remaining turned a six-point Nuggets lead into a punishing 10-point margin that Minnesota never threatened.

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Key Takeaways

nba playoffs 2026: The New York Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks 113-102, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-105, the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 121-109, and the Cleveland Cavaliers won 117-99 over the Toronto Raptors, all in Game 1 of their respective first-round series.

basketball playoffs: The New York Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks 113-102, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-105, the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 121-109, and the Cleveland Cavaliers won 117-99 over the Toronto Raptors, all in Game 1 of their respective first-round series.

new york knicks: The New York Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks 113-102, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-105, the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 121-109, and the Cleveland Cavaliers won 117-99 over the Toronto Raptors, all in Game 1 of their respective first-round series.

denver nuggets: The New York Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks 113-102, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 116-105, the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 121-109, and the Cleveland Cavaliers won 117-99 over the Toronto Raptors, all in Game 1 of their respective first-round series.

NBA Playoffs Begin: Knicks, Nuggets Win Game 1

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