The Atlanta Hawks trimmed a 19-point deficit to single digits with an 11-0 run late in the fourth quarter, but couldn't complete the comeback, dropping Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series to the New York Knicks 113-102 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
CJ McCollum led Atlanta with 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting, including 4-of-9 from 3-point range. Jalen Johnson added 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Onyeka Okongwu finished with 19 points and 8 rebounds while shooting 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Nickeil Alexander-Walker contributed 17 points and 4 assists off the bench.
Dyson Daniels dished out a team-high 11 assists and grabbed 9 rebounds but managed just 4 points on 2-of-7 shooting.
Jalen Brunson led New York with 28 points and 7 assists, scoring 19 in the first quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks, with 19 coming in the second half. OG Anunoby added 18 points and 8 rebounds, while Josh Hart collected 11 points and 14 rebounds.
Atlanta stayed within striking distance through the first half, closing the second quarter on Okongwu's buzzer-beating 3-pointer to cut the margin to 57-55 at the break. But the Hawks managed just 19 points in the third quarter on 8-of-23 shooting, letting the Knicks open an eight-point lead heading into the fourth.
The hole became deeper in the final period with Brunson on the bench. Miles McBride knocked down a pair of 3-pointers, Anunoby hit a step-back jumper, and Towns followed with a 3-pointer and a three-point play to push the lead to 100-87.
After Gabe Vincent's basket for Atlanta, the Knicks ripped off 10 straight points to build their largest lead of the night at 106-87. Jordan Clarkson scored on a putback and a driving layup, while Towns added a three-point play and a 3-pointer to cap the run with 4:36 remaining.
Atlanta answered with 11 unanswered points of its own. Johnson sparked the rally with a pair of free throws before Okongwu drilled a 3-pointer off a Daniels feed. Johnson knocked down another 3 from above the break, and Alexander-Walker capped the stretch with a running 3-pointer in transition at the 1:39 mark, trimming the deficit to 106-98.
Towns answered with a cutting layup on the next possession to restore the double-digit cushion, and the Hawks never got closer than 8.
"I like the way we came back at the end of the game," Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. "They were resilient in that situation. It was just too little, too late."
Free throws proved decisive. Atlanta shot 12-of-19 from the line, while New York went 25-of-30. The Knicks also outshot the Hawks 47.5% to 43.7% from the field.
"The formula for us and our identity has been to run and move the ball," Snyder said. "It's not like we didn't do that, but we need to do more of it."
The Hawks tried to get back into the game by using an intentional-fouling strategy against Mitchell Robinson in the third quarter. The Knicks' backup center went 1-of-4 at the line, prompting head coach Mike Brown to pull him from the game.
McCollum was called for a technical foul at the 11:40 mark of the third quarter after officials ruled he committed a hostile act by kicking his leg up on a jump shot toward Brunson.
"I shot a jumper and Jalen thought we were at a Broadway show," McCollum said. "He acted it out until they reviewed it. It's a normal jump shot, nothing there. Unnecessary and I look forward to getting my $2,500 back."
Daniels, who drew the primary defensive assignment on Brunson, said he plans to be more aggressive offensively in Game 2.
"A lot of time, I'm playmaking up from up top, with my man being off me and going into handoff situations and stuff like that," Daniels said. "So guys that screen to each other, get each other open on cuts, on back screens, whatever it may be. So, just trying to be like a facilitator, I thought I need to take my aggressiveness up as well. And I only had the 4 points tonight. So especially with KAT guarding me and I gotta make him guard and take him downhill, try get to the rim a little more. Be strong with the ball."
Jock Landale was inactive for Atlanta with a right high ankle sprain.
Game 2 is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern on Monday at Madison Square Garden.