CJ McCollum buried a fadeaway with 12.5 seconds left and the Atlanta Hawks edged the New York Knicks 109-108 on Thursday in knicks vs hawks. The win gave Atlanta a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven first-round playoff series, turning one possession into the difference between a split and control.
McCollum Finishes The Job
McCollum finished with 23 points and delivered the final shot after a tight fourth quarter that left no margin for error. Quin Snyder called it "a great shot" and added, "That's the thing about this group that I've enjoyed so much."
The Hawks had already upset New York in Game 2, so this was their second straight win against a higher Eastern Conference seed. Atlanta did not need a runaway to create separation; it needed one clean look at the end, and McCollum found it.
Johnson And Kuminga Add Support
Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with 24 points, while Jonathan Kuminga supplied 21 points off the bench. Dyson Daniels added eight points, 13 rebounds, six assists, three steals and one block, the kind of all-around line that helped Atlanta stay in position for the closing possession.
Jock Landale watched the game while recovering from an ankle injury, leaving the Hawks to lean on their perimeter scoring and defensive activity. The rotation still produced enough to survive New York’s response, and that is why the final shot mattered so much.
Knicks Pressure Builds
OG Anunoby scored a game-high 29 points for New York, Jalen Brunson added 26, and Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 21. Those numbers were enough to keep the Knicks in range, but not enough to stop Atlanta from leaving with the lead and the series edge.
The series now shifts with Atlanta carrying a 2-1 advantage and New York having to answer after back-to-back losses to the Hawks. A one-point result changes the tone quickly, and the Knicks now face the next game with the pressure that came with letting this one slip at the end.
