2-for-1! A budget-friendly alternative to Trae Young! Another Knicks killer emerges.

1-1.

In the second matchup, the Timberwolves, widely underestimated, completed a 19-point comeback on the road, ultimately defeating the Nuggets 119-114.

In this game, both of the Nuggets' core players underperformed: Jokic shot 8-for-20, recording 24 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists for a near triple-double; Murray shot 11-for-25, contributing 30 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Led by Anthony Edwards (who shot 10-for-25, posting 30 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks), the Timberwolves launched a collective assault, with six players scoring double figures, finally overcoming this tough opponent.

Speaking of Jokic, he's being criticized again—not for poor performance, but for another reason...

Jokic, a center weighing 128kg, fell to the ground after a light contact with Gobert, resulting in an offensive foul call on the latter.

Actually, "acting" is part of the game, though it often draws criticism.

In the Eastern Conference, an upset also occurred: the Hawks narrowly defeated the Knicks 107-106 on the road, tying the series at 1-1, putting both teams back on equal footing.

A new "Mayor of New York" has emerged: CJ McCollum, who joined mid-season, started as the point guard and shot 12-for-22, scoring 32 points with approximately 55% shooting efficiency, along with 3 rebounds and 6 assists.

As for the Knicks' perimeter core Brunson, he made only 10 of 26 shots, with a shooting percentage as low as about 38%, failing to perform at his expected level.

Before this year's trade deadline, the Hawks sent away a 27-year-old All-Star guard and acquired the 34-year-old veteran CJ McCollum plus Kispert from the Wizards.

Actually, the Hawks didn't initially expect CJ to provide significant help; they were mainly interested in his expiring contract.

But unexpectedly, after bringing his talent to Atlanta, CJ averaged 18.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game in the regular season, and now plays a savior role in the playoffs.

In these two playoff games, CJ's scoring has been the highest on the team, with 26 points and 32 points respectively, averaging 29 points, 3 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1 steal per game. His three shooting percentages are 54.8%, 36.8%, and 55.6%, making him highly likely to secure a lucrative new contract this summer.