By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After mishandling an earlier double-digit lead, the Toronto Raptors pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 126–104 at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday. The win reduced the deficit in the best-of-seven series of the opening round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google, to 2-1, besides marking the first-ever postseason win for Serbian Darko Rajakovic, the league’s first permanent European play-caller in the postseason.
Retaining a spot in the starting lineup of Rajakovic, Austria’s Jakob Poeltl lasted 18 minutes, chipping in eight points on 4/6 two-pointers to go with six rebounds, two assists, and one block. Georgia’s Sandro Mamukelashvili contributed two rebounds and one assist off the bench, though he went scoreless in 11 minutes of play. For the Cavs, German reserve Dennis Schroder was limited to five minutes, recording three points and one rebound against three turnovers, while Dutch Tristan Enaruna and French Olivier Sarr remained inactive.
Action was equally intense at State Farm Arena, where the Atlanta Hawks narrowly held on for a 109–108 victory to take a 2-1 series lead over the New York Knicks. Highlighting a physical Game 3, CJ McCollum hit a fadeaway jumper with 12.5 seconds left to ruin New York’s night, finishing with 23 points, while France’s Zaccharie Risacher did not see the floor for Quin Snyder’s squad.
Down by 18 in the first half, the visitors rallied and briefly led by three points with 1:03 remaining, but ultimately fell short. They relied heavily on British starter OG Anunoby, who recorded a game-high 29 points and nine rebounds, including 4/8 from beyond the arc. “They made a lot of shots. They were hot early. And that’s how it goes,” the 28-year-old forward shared during his post-game press conference. “It’s a game of runs, so we were just trying to do that the whole game.”
The remaining European options for head coach Mike Brown, France’s Pacome Dadiet and Mohamed Diawara, Poland’s Jeremy Sochan, and Germany’s Ariel Hukporti, all stayed on the bench.
NBA Playoffs 2026
Eastern Conference
Quarterfinals (best-of-seven)
1. Detroit Pistons – Orlando Magic 1-1 (101-112, 98-83)
2. Cleveland Cavaliers – Toronto Raptors 2-1 (126-113, 115-105, 104-126)
3. New York Knicks – Atlanta Hawks 1-2 (113-102, 106-107, 108-109)
4. Boston Celtics – Philadelphia 76ers 1-1 (123-91, 97-111)
Semifinals (best-of-seven)
5. Winners 1-2
6. Winners 3-4
Finals (best-of-seven)
Winners of Semifinals
Western Conference
Quarterfinals (best-of-seven)
1. Oklahoma City Thunder – Phoenix Suns 2-0 (119-84, 120-107)
2. Los Angeles Lakers – Houston Rockets 2-0 (107-98, 101-94)
3. Denver Nuggets – Minnesota Timberwolves 1-1 (126-115, 114-119)
4. San Antonio Spurs – Portland Trail Blazers 1-1 (111-98, 103-106)
Semifinals (best-of-seven)
5. Winners 1-2
6. Winners 3-4
Finals (best-of-seven)
Winners of Semifinals
NBA Finals 2026 (best-of-seven)
Eastern Conference and Western Conference champions