2026 NBA playoffs: Eastern Conference first-round takeaways

The 2026 NBA playoffs began Saturday, and our NBA insiders have you covered for every game in the march to the Finals.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors kicked things off, and Donovan Mitchell & Co. cruised to a 13-point win at home. Mitchell led all players with 32 points, and James Harden made his Cleveland playoff debut with 22. Max Strus, who missed the first 67 games of the season with a left foot injury and did not debut until March 15, erupted for 24 points off the bench.

The New York Knicks followed up by beating the Atlanta Hawks 113-102, as they held the Hawks to just 47 halftime points. Jalen Brunson led all scorers with 28 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 25 points in the win.

As the East playoffs continue, here’s what matters most and what to watch.

More coverage:West takeaways | Schedules and results | Offseason guides

Game 1: Knicks 113, Hawks 102

Biggest takeaway from Game 1: The Atlanta Hawks came into the playoffs as one of the NBA’s hottest teams, specifically on offense. After their personnel changes took hold following the All-Star break, the Hawks’ offense averaged nearly 123 points with the league’s fifth-best efficiency, and they went 20-6 in that stretch.

In Game 1 of their series, they ran into a wall called the New York Knicks. Not only did New York hold Atlanta to just 102 points, but the Knicks also broke open a close game in the second half, forcing the Hawks to resort to fouling Knicks backup center Mitchell Robinson in an attempt to slow the momentum.

It made up for Jalen Brunson cooling off in the second half — he finished 9-for-22 with 28 points. OG Anunoby and Josh Hart were interchangeable and integral in the series opener, limiting the looks by Nickeil Alexander-Walker and CJ McCollum. The score made the game look more competitive than it was, and the Knicks showed why their A-game ranks among the best in the NBA. They took an 18-point lead with 3:14 left before the Hawks cut into the deficit late.

New York holding Atlanta to 47 points in the second half registers as the recipe for success in this series. — Vincent Goodwill

Game 2: Hawks at Knicks (Monday, 8 p.m., NBC/Peacock)

What to watch in Game 2: It was hard to tell where Karl-Anthony Towns was for nearly two quarters, but his final stat line showed how important he is to the Knicks’ fortunes overall and just how much of a matchup problem he is for the Hawks.

“Pick your poison,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said of the Towns conundrum in the pregame.

With 25 points, eight rebounds, four assists and one knot about his eye, courtesy of an accidental elbow from Jonathan Kuminga, Towns was all over the place before the night was done.

Brunson got the Knicks started, but they created separation once they deployed Towns to his full capability. It’s something they’ll likely repeat in Game 2 on Monday.

Towns finished with just 13 shot attempts but was 3-of-4 from 3, continuing his streak of strong performances against Atlanta. He shot over 63% from the field and 50% from 3 in the regular season versus the Hawks.

If it took the Knicks a little while to discover Towns on Saturday, he gave them a shining reminder of why he makes the game easier for everyone else when he’s on. — Goodwill

Game 1: Cavaliers 126, Raptors 113

What we learned from Game 1: The first game of this series went about as well as the Cavs could have hoped for. After a hot-shooting first half from Toronto, the Cavs held the Raptors to 59 points in the second half (including just 22 in the third quarter), taking away their transition offense and allowing Cleveland’s superstar duo to dictate the pace and tenor of the game.

Donovan Mitchell finished with 32 points on efficient 11-of-20 shooting while James Harden added 22 points and 10 assists, and the two combined to score or assist on 82 of the Cavs’ 126 points (65%). Cleveland’s backcourt will be its biggest advantage in this matchup, especially with Toronto missing guard Immanuel Quickley to begin the series. The Cavs duo was too much for the Raptors to handle on Saturday, and Toronto might not have the offense to keep up if it can’t find a way to get its transition game kick-started. — Jamal Collier

Game 2: Raptors at Cavaliers (Monday, 7 p.m. ET, NBC/Peacock)

What to watch in Game 2: What adjustments can the Raptors make after such a dominant performance from Cleveland? Quickley’s absence loomed large for Toronto in Game 1 as the Raptors’ offense struggled to find any rhythm or pace in the second half.

Raptors coach Darko Rajaković said prior to the game that Quickley was improving after he injured his hamstring during the regular-season finale, but it’s unclear if he will be recovered in time for Game 2 on Monday. If not, the Raptors are going to have to find ways to get much more comfortable on offense and need even more from Scottie Barnes, who shot just 6-of-14 for 21 points and had five turnovers in Game 1. — Collier