ATLANTA, GA – The Atlanta Hawks, with a late-game surge spearheaded by CJ McCollum, staged a stunning comeback Monday night, downing the New York Knicks 107-106. This victory, occurring at Madison Square Garden, has leveled the best-of-seven series at one game apiece.
McCollum poured in a game-high 32 points, orchestrating a fourth-quarter offensive that erased a significant deficit. The Hawks outscored the Knicks 28-15 in the final frame, a stark contrast to the flow of the earlier parts of the game. The series now shifts to Atlanta for Game 3, scheduled for Thursday night.
The tension peaked in the final seconds. With the Hawks clinging to a slim lead, McCollum missed two crucial free throws with just 5.6 seconds left on the clock. The Knicks, lacking timeouts, pushed the ball up court. However, Mikal Bridges' potential game-winning jumper at the buzzer fell short, sealing the Hawks' improbable win.
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For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson led the scoring with 29 points, followed by Karl-Anthony Towns with 18. Josh Hart contributed 15 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists.
The Hawks saw contributions beyond McCollum. Jonathan Kuminga added 19 points off the bench, while Jalen Johnson scored 17 and Onyeka Okongwu chipped in 15. The team as a whole finished the game on a 15-6 run, turning an eight-point deficit in the final five minutes into a victory.
This series, now tied 1-1, saw the Hawks rally from a double-digit deficit in the second half, showcasing a resilience that belies their No. 6 seed. The Knicks, having secured home-court advantage in Game 1, now face an uphill battle as the playoff tension mounts.
