After a solid showcase in Game 1 at home against the Atlanta Hawks, the New York Knicks appeared in control of the first-round playoff series. However, despite Jalen Brunson‘s best efforts, the Knicks lost Game 2 in dramatic fashion.
The Hawks outlasted the Knicks in a 107-106 thriller finish. While the result could be attributed to several reasons, during their postgame media availability, both Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns pointed to New York’s collapse in the final frame.
While speaking about the Knicks’ fourth-quarter struggles, Brunson shared:
“We were a little stagnant. I have a saying – I can control what I can control. Poor decision-making on my part. A couple of possessions, they played great defense; they knocked the ball out of my hand. We’ve got to play better with the lead. That’s twice in the fourth quarter we’ve done that.”
New York was outscored 28-15 in the fourth quarter, allowing the Hawks to cut through a 12-point deficit with ease.
As Jalen Brunson mentioned, Atlanta’s defensive effort was also noteworthy, as a crucial steal by Nickeil Alexander-Walker in the dying minutes sealed the win for Atlanta. However, it was CJ McCollum‘s inspired performance that truly helped rally the Hawks together in the fourth.
Karl-Anthony Towns highlighted this while discussing the Knicks’ shortcomings in the last quarter, stating:
“They hit shots, and we didn’t make shots. But when it came down to it, CJ McCollum made some tough shots, and you’ve got to give credit where credit is due. Hell of a player, he’s been a hell of a player for a long time in this league. We’ve got to do a better job of making it more difficult for him.”
McCollum ended the game with a game-high 32 points to go with three rebounds and six assists, eclipsing Jalen Brunson’s performance of 29 points, two rebounds, and seven assists.
The Knicks were in a comfortable position to win the game going into the fourth. But considering that the result was eventually decided on the final possession, New York had every opportunity to put the game away earlier.
Among the several things that went wrong for the Knicks, the most significant was probably the poor shooting. For most of the game, New York was efficient, shooting 34-65 from the field in the first three quarters. However, in the final frame, the Knicks shot an abysmal 5-22 from the floor, of which 3-11 were from three-point range.
Barring Jalen Brunson’s 10 points on 3-8 FG, the Knicks’ offense had dried up. In comparison, the Hawks shot 72.2% (13-18 FG) with CJ McCollum, Jalen Johnson, and Jonathan Kuminga combining for 19 points in the fourth.
This isn’t the first time the Knicks have suffered a fourth-quarter breakdown this season. While such problems weren’t as pressing in the regular season, the current situation is dire.
Although New York enjoyed a 2-1 regular-season series win over Atlanta, the Hawks’ 24-17 home record suggests that they will be a tough team to beat moving forward.
With the series tied up at 1-1, Jalen Brunson and the Knicks are in an unfavorable position before hitting the road. Since the momentum is also on the Hawks’ side, the Knicks must find a way to bounce back soon.
