Australian duo Dyson Daniels and Jock Landale are two wins away from moving on in the NBA post-season.

For the second time in as many games, their Atlanta Hawks upset higher Eastern Conference seeds New York to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven first-round playoff series.

CJ McCollum hit a fadeaway jumper with 12.5 seconds left to ruin the Knicks' night again, leading the hosts to a 109-108 victory on Thursday (Friday AEST).

After starring in a Game 2 stunner at Madison Square Garden, McCollum came through again from 15 feet, finishing with 23 points.

Hawks coach Quin Snyder called it "a great shot," but stressed the effort of his entire team.

"They work, they share," he said.

"That's the thing about this group that I've enjoyed so much."

Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with 24 points and Jonathan Kuminga had 21 off the bench.

Daniels tallied eight points, 13 rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block, while compatriot Landale watched on as he recovers from an ankle injury.

New York's OG Anunoby had a game-high 29 points, Jalen Brunson 26 and Karl-Anthony Towns 21.

In Minnesota, the Timberwolves flexed even more of their defensive muscle against a flagging Denver, also seizing a 2-1 lead with a dominant 113-96 victory.

Jaden McDaniels had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Ayo Dosunmu added 25 points and nine assists off the bench and Donte DiVincenzo had 15 points and four steals for the surging Wolves.

Rudy Gobert followed his inspired Game 2 effort against Nikola Jokic by stifling the three-time MVP again on an ugly 7-for-26 shooting night, and home side established a post-season franchise record by allowing the Nuggets just 11 points in the first quarter.

Jokic finished with 27 points and 15 rebounds and Jamal Murray had 16.

Veteran forward Joe Ingles saw less than a minute of game time for Minnesota, while another Aussie in Tyrese Proctor played two-and-a-half minutes - scoring one bucket - in Cleveland's 126-104 loss in Toronto.

Scottie Barnes set career playoff highs with 33 points and 11 assists, RJ Barrett added a career playoff-high 33 points and the Raptors snapped a 12-game playoff losing streak against the Cavaliers.

Collin Murray-Boyles had 22 points, Jamison Battle scored all of his 14 in the final quarter and Brandon Ingram added 12 as Toronto cut Cleveland's lead in their series to 2-1.

James Harden scored 18 points for the Cavs, while Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and Max Strus all had 15.

With AAP.