Five takeaways from the Atlanta Hawks' 113-102 Game 1 loss to the New York Knicks, including Jalen Brunson's huge first quarter and the free throw disparity.
The Atlanta Hawks lost Game 1 of their first-round playoff series 113-102 against the New York Knicks on Saturday at Madison Square Garden. They face a 0-1 series hole to start, despite a late 11-0 run that nearly led to a successful comeback, but fell short in the end.
Atlanta kept the game close through two quarters before a cold third period and a widening fourth-quarter gap proved too much to overcome. Here are five takeaways from the opener that Hawks coach Quin Snyder will have to address before Monday night's Game 2.
1. Jalen Brunson's First Quarter Dictated the Night
Jalen Brunson poured in 19 points in the first quarter on shooting 8-of-11 overall, including a perfect 3-of-3 from 3-point range. By the time the Hawks settled into their defense, the Knicks led 30-24. Brunson scored just 9 points over the final three quarters as Atlanta adjusted, but the early hole never fully closed. Dyson Daniels drew the primary assignment on Brunson for long stretches, yet only 2 of Brunson's 22 shot attempts came with Daniels as the closest defender.
The Knicks did an effective job of getting Brunson moving off the ball and screening Daniels into switching, and that's something Snyder's staff will need to adjust for heading into Game 2. However, Atlanta used techniques like pre-switching off-ball to get Daniels back onto Brunson as much as they could without altering their strategy.
2. The Third Quarter Was Atlanta's Downfall
The Hawks entered halftime down just 57-55 after Onyeka Okongwu's buzzer-beating 3-pointer. However, the momentum the offense had built did not carry over when the team took the court in the second half. Atlanta scored just 19 points in the third quarter on 8-of-23 shooting (34.8%) and 2-of-9 from 3-point range (22.2%), committing 5 turnovers in the frame. The Knicks outscored the Hawks 26-19 in the period to build an 8-point cushion heading into the fourth. Atlanta's half-court offense couldn't find a rhythm, and CJ McCollum's technical foul at the 11:40 mark, after officials deemed a leg kick into Brunson a hostile act, further disrupted the Hawks.
3. The Free Throw Disparity Was the Final Margin
The Knicks shot 25-of-30 (83.3%) from the free throw line. The Hawks shot 12-of-19 (63.2%). That 13-point gap more than accounts for the 11-point final margin. Karl-Anthony Towns alone went a perfect 10-of-10 from the stripe.
Atlanta did try to weaponize the line themselves by intentionally fouling Mitchell Robinson in the third quarter, and the strategy technically worked: Robinson went 1-for-4, and Knicks coach Mike Brown was forced to pull him from the game. But the Hawks couldn't capitalize on Robinson's absence, and their own free throw percentage undercut the plan.
4. Bench Production Gave New York an Edge
The Knicks' reserves outscored the Hawks' bench 20-13, and the gap was felt well beyond the scoring column. Jordan Clarkson provided instant offense with 8 points in less than 12 minutes, and Miles McBride hit 2-of-4 from 3-point range for 6 points. Atlanta's bench struggled to keep pace.
Gabe Vincent managed just 2 points in 14:46. Zaccharie Risacher played only 2:29 in the first half and never returned. Mouhamed Gueye picked up 5 fouls in 10:33. Jonathan Kuminga's 8 points on 3-of-7 shooting were the lone bright spot off the Atlanta bench.
With New York able to lean on its reserves to open the fourth quarter, Brunson sat for more than 5 minutes of the final period, yet the Knicks extended their lead while he watched.
5. Dyson Daniels Has to Find His Offense
Daniels posted 11 assists and 9 rebounds, both team highs, but he scored just 4 points on 2-of-7 shooting and went 0-of-2 from 3-point range. The Knicks' defenders sagged off him and dared him to shoot, using the extra body to help on Atlanta's other actions. Daniels acknowledged after the game that he needs to be more aggressive 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."
If Daniels can force the Knicks to honor him on the other end, it opens up driving lanes and cleaner 3-point looks for Jalen Johnson, McCollum, and the rest of the Atlanta starting lineup. Game 2 is set for 8 p.m. Eastern on Monday at Madison Square Garden.ShareContentpdfFor a brief moment, Game 1 the first-round series between the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks felt a little like the last Game 1 in this building, when the Indiana Pacers came back from 17 points down with a little more than six minutes left in regulation to stun the Knicks in overtime.