NBA Playoffs Game 2: Hawks and Trail Blazers Pull Off Stunning Fourth-Quarter Comebacks

Game 2 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs first round delivered two of the most dramatic comebacks in recent postseason memory, as the Atlanta Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers both overturned double-digit fourth-quarter deficits to level their respective series at 1-1. For Kenyan basketball fans tuning in during the early hours of the morning EAT, it was a night that justified every moment of lost sleep.

In New York, the Hawks trailed the Knicks by 12 points entering the fourth quarter before staging a furious rally to win 107-106. Atlanta's bench unit sparked the comeback, turning defence into transition offence and forcing the Knicks into a series of costly turnovers in the final five minutes. The result silenced Madison Square Garden and shifted the series momentum entirely — the Knicks had looked dominant for three quarters before the Hawks flipped the script.

Portland's comeback was equally impressive. The Trail Blazers trailed the San Antonio Spurs by 14 points before mounting a relentless surge to win 106-103, dealing another blow to Victor Wembanyama's postseason campaign after the French star's concussion scare in Game 1. The Blazers' defensive intensity in the fourth quarter was suffocating, holding the Spurs to just 15 points in the final period.

Elsewhere in the night's action, the Philadelphia 76ers evened their series with the Boston Celtics thanks to a commanding 111-97 victory in Game 2. The Sixers controlled the game from tip-off, with their backcourt duo proving too much for the reigning champions to handle. The Lakers also maintained their perfect start, beating the Houston Rockets to take a 2-0 series lead, while the Oklahoma City Thunder did the same against the Phoenix Suns with a convincing 120-107 win.

With multiple series now locked at 1-1, the first round is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in years. The Hawks-Knicks and Blazers-Spurs series, in particular, feel like they could go the full seven games. For fans of underdog stories, Game 2 was a masterclass in resilience — proof that in the NBA Playoffs, no lead is ever safe and momentum can shift in an instant.

Kenyan NBA fans can catch the next round of action when the series shift venues for Games 3 and 4. New to basketball? Let me break this down — Game 2 is when the home team's advantage is supposed to be strongest, so the Hawks and Blazers winning on the road makes their comebacks even more remarkable. These playoff series are best-of-seven, meaning the first team to four wins advances. Buckle up — this first round is far from over!