Brunson may need to deliver another dominant performance to send Atlanta home and advance New York's championship bid.
After a deep 2025 NBA playoffs run, the New York Knicks are looking to extend their postseason lives for another series as they currently lead he Atlanta Hawks 3-2. The Knicks can clinch their opening 2026 playoff series with one more win at Atlanta on Thursday night.
For the Hawks’s if things, here is Hawks Roundtable writer Grant Afseth’s look-ahead at Atlanta trying to fend off elimination.
New York took the series lead on the shoulders of a heroic 39-point performance by guard Jalen Brunson. His efficiency has always been a hallmark of his game, but in the series against Atlanta, Brunson has stepped it up.
Over the five games played so far, he's averaged 28.2 points per game and shot 46.4% from the floor including 41.9% from three-point range against the Hawks.
His per game scoring average and three-point rate both best his regular season numbers. He'll be looked at to have another strong showing Thursday night as the Knicks hope to close out the series.
Last year, New York made it all the way to the conference finals before being toppled by the eventual NBA Finals runner-up Indiana Pacers. The Knicks fell to the Pacers 4-2 in their six-game series that included a fourth quarter surge by Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton in the closing contest. The Knicks also turned the ball over 17 times in that matchup.
Brunson's continued playmaking and the team's ball control will be necessary in order to keep their championship hopes alive. The 3-seed Knicks could get some help with the top-seeded Orlando Magic struggling and the 2-seed Boston Celtics taking a hit in Game 5 of their series versus the Philadelphia 76ers.