Monday night will go down as an all-time classic for Atlanta Hawks fans — and one New York Knicks fans would gladly erase, especially if this series starts to slip away.
Through three quarters, it looked like New York was in complete control, on its way to a 2–0 lead heading back to State Farm Arena. They were the more physical team from the opening tip, dictating the tone and overwhelming Atlanta with their size — particularly Mitchell Robinson, who was all over the glass and a major reason for the Knicks’ double-digit lead.
But the Hawks hung around. And as has been the case all series, CJ McCollum was at the center of it, continuing his transformation into public enemy No. 1 in New York.
The tension had been building all night. Robinson picked up a technical after stepping over Dyson Daniels, and later, McCollum and Jose Alvarado went face-to-face, drawing offsetting technicals.
That moment flipped the game.
A young Hawks team that had been on its heels suddenly matched the Knicks’ intensity, feeding off the presence of a veteran who was relishing his opportunity to play villain in front of a raucous Madison Square Garden crowd.
Atlanta’s defense in the fourth quarter was nothing short of sensational. Outside of a few tough, contested buckets from Jalen Brunson, the Knicks had no answers. The ball stopped moving, the crowd grew restless, and the Hawks seized the moment.
A 22–9 run — again led by McCollum, who finished with 32 points — gave Atlanta a three-point lead with under two minutes to play.
Then the chaos hit.
Brunson answered with a quick three to tie it. McCollum came right back with a jumper. On the next possession, Brunson was forced into a desperation shot late in the clock — swatted away by Nickeil Alexander-Walker — which led to a transition layup from Jalen Johnson that felt like the dagger.
Except… this is the playoffs. Nothing is ever that simple.
The Knicks drained another quick three to cut it to one with seven seconds left, and then McCollum — who had been flawless from the line — missed both free throws.
Instead of calling timeout, New York embraced the chaos. One final push. One final shot.
Mikal Bridges got a look as time expired — a contested fadeaway from outside the paint. It came up short.
Ballgame.
It almost doesn’t make sense when you lay it out. Johnson was quiet most of the night, finishing with just 17 points and three assists. Alexander-Walker struggled mightily, going 3-of-12. The Knicks controlled large stretches and led by double digits for much of the game.
And yet, it’s the Hawks heading back to Atlanta with the series tied and all of the momentum.
There are still real issues for Quin Snyder to sort through, and the Knicks are far too experienced to fold after one loss. But in a season full of surprises for this Hawks team, this tops them all — the kind of win that can shift a series, and one that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
