ScoresandStats.com Latest Sports Previews

Game 2 in this Eastern Conference first-round series stays at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, with tipoff set for 8:00 PM and the Knicks trying to build on their 1-0 series lead after a 113-102 win in the opener. Atlanta enters off a 46-36 regular season that was better than it looked at midyear, while New York finished 53-29 and turned Game 1 into the kind of half-court, physical playoff game it usually prefers. The setup is simple enough: the Hawks need a cleaner offensive night and better control of the glass, while the Knicks want another steady home performance with Jalen Brunson setting the tone. There is at least one important availability angle to watch before lock. Onyeka

Game 2 shifts right back to Ball Arena on Monday night, with tip-off set for 10:30 PM ET and Denver trying to push this first-round series to 2-0 after a 116-105 win in the opener. Minnesota comes in at 49-33 after finishing sixth in the West, while Denver closed the regular season 54-28 and held serve in Game 1 behind another Nikola Jokic triple-double and a huge Jamal Murray scoring night. This is a pretty interesting adjustment spot. The Timberwolves had control early in Game 1, then lost the free-throw battle badly and let Denver dictate more of the second half. Anthony Edwards is officially questionable with right knee injury maintenance for Game 2, while Peyton Watson is out for

Philadelphia heads back into PPG Paints Arena on Monday night for Game 2 of this first-round series, with puck drop set for 7:00 PM on ESPN. The Flyers finished 43-27-12 and third in the Metropolitan Division, while Pittsburgh went 41-25-16 and held home ice despite both clubs landing on 98 points. That already made this matchup tense. Then Philly walked in and stole Game 1 by a 3-2 score, so now the pressure shifts hard onto the Penguins. That opener had a little of everything. Jamie Drysdale scored in his playoff debut, Travis Sanheim buried the go-ahead goal in the third, and rookie Porter Martone added the late winner for the Flyers. Pittsburgh answered through Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust,

Ottawa heads back into Lenovo Center on Monday night for Game 2 of this first-round Eastern Conference series, with puck drop set for 7:30 PM on ESPN2. The Senators finished 44-27-11 and grabbed an Eastern wild-card spot, while Carolina closed the regular season at 53-22-7, won the Metropolitan Division, and secured the top seed in the East. That edge showed up right away in Game 1, when the Hurricanes took a 2-0 win and grabbed the early series lead. This is the kind of playoff spot that usually tells you a lot. Ottawa came in playing well, but Carolina looked calmer, heavier, and a little more comfortable in the opener. The Hurricanes have now won four of their last five