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 / 7:19 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.

3J 🔥 pic.twitter.com/vCdlhUts2H

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) April 23, 2026

APRIL 23, 2026 / 6:30 ET

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

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 – 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 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 / 6:41 ET

Today’s injury report

Immanuel Quickley (hamstring) is out for the Raptors. Thomas Bryant (calf) is out for the Cavaliers.

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.