The rivalry between the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks makes this year’s first-round playoff matchup an exciting one. While Trae Young‘s departure this season marked the end of one iteration of this rivalry, CJ McCollum becomes the latest Hawks guard to haunt the Knicks’ fan base.
CJ McCollum’s decisive 32-point performance helped the Hawks steal a 107-106 win over the Knicks in Game 2, leveling the series at one apiece. Although McCollum reignited memories of Trae Young’s performance against New York in the 2021 playoffs, during his postgame interview, the Hawks’ guard explicitly rejected the villain tag that Young wholeheartedly embraced.
“I’m no villain, man. I’m just here to compete,” McCollum stated. “I compete at the highest level. We know it’s not a series until you get one on the road, and we got one. So now, it’s showtime when we get back to the crib.”
The Hawks’ comeback charge was inspiring, but to say the finish was anything other than a nail-biter would be an understatement. With a chance to extend the lead to three points, CJ McCollum missed both free throws, giving the Knicks an opportunity to score the winning basket on the final possession.
When reacting to his missed free-throw attempts, McCollum added:
“I’ve got to make my free throws. I’ll get in the gym on Wednesday and make sure I tighten up. Then we’ll be ready to go in the A, like we’re supposed to be… Gotta make my f—ing free throws, man.”
McCollum’s costly error at the end of regulation nearly cost the Hawks the game. But considering that he was the sole reason that Atlanta was even in a position to win, the team is likely to overlook his shortcomings in the final frame.
CJ McCollum Remains Confident In The Hawks’ Roster
After outscoring the Knicks 28-15 in the fourth quarter, the Hawks successfully stunned New York at Madison Square Garden. For a young team with limited playoff experience, this is a significant achievement.
During his postgame interview, CJ McCollum was asked to share his thoughts on Atlanta’s roster and the team’s resilience. While showcasing his confidence in the squad, McCollum shared:
“We’re a tough group. We’re young, but we’re gaining experience by the day. We compete at a high level, and we’ve got great size. We didn’t play our best basketball tonight, but we gave ourselves a puncher’s chance. We did enough to win. Now it’s back to the drawing board. Tighten up some things, tighten up some screws, and make sure we’re ready to go.”
In comparison with Game 1, the Hawks were considerably better on Monday night. Although their three-point shooting was better in their previous outing, Atlanta was significantly more efficient from the floor overall, even improving upon their free-throw shooting (18-23 FT).
While CJ McCollum has been the team’s best scorer in the last two games, Jonathan Kuminga‘s contributions off the bench (19 PTS, 4 REB, 2 STL) proved vital in Game 2.
Having stolen some momentum back from New York, Atlanta is in a terrific position before heading home for the next set of games. With the opportunity to break the deadlock and secure a 3-1 lead before returning to MSG, the Hawks would do well to defend home court.
