New York, N.Y.—The New York Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 113–102, at Madison Square Garden in the first game of the playoffs on Saturday night.
The Knicks will look to take revenge in this series after the Trae Young–led Hawks defeated them in the last playoff meeting between these two teams in 2021.
The Knicks had won five of their last six meetings with the Hawks and looked to make it six of seven in this one.
The Garden was rocking all night long, with “Let’s Go Knicks!” chants ringing throughout the building. After a disappointing conference finals loss to the Indiana Pacers last season, this fanbase is hungry for a championship in 2026.
The Knicks started the game by winning the tip, but Mikal Bridges missed a three-point attempt on the first possession. “DE-FENSE!” echoed through the building as the Knicks tried to slow down the Hawks’ offense.
The electric crowd ignited a high-paced offensive performance from both teams in the first quarter. The teams were evenly matched through one quarter of play, with the Knicks leading 30–24.
Through one quarter, Jalen Brunson led New York with 19 points, while Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with eight.
The Knicks kept their fast-paced game going in the second quarter, quickly increasing their lead to double digits just two minutes into the frame, going up 38–27.
The Knicks played a solid full-court game through the first 24 minutes, but there was definitely room for improvement.
CJ McCollum had a great first half for the Hawks, tallying 17 points while shooting 75% from beyond the arc.
On the other side, Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby both finished the half in double figures.
At halftime, the Knicks led the Hawks, 57–55.
The second half started with a scare for Knicks fans. CJ McCollum went up for a shot and made contact with Jalen Brunson’s groin area, leaving Brunson on the ground for a few minutes. McCollum was assessed a technical foul, and the Knicks increased their lead to 58–55.
At the 7:39 mark of the third quarter, OG Anunoby appeared to twist his ankle in the Knicks’ offensive zone and exited the game, at least temporarily. Landry Shamet checked in for Anunoby.
Shortly after, with under six minutes remaining in the quarter, the crowd chanted “OG! OG! OG!” as Anunoby re-entered the game, another hold your breath moment for Knicks fans.
At the 5:44 mark, the Knicks began to regain momentum, courtesy of a steal by Mikal Bridges, which put them back in front by 10, 73–63.
After three quarters, the Knicks led the Hawks, 83–74. It remained anyone’s game, as New York needed to maintain its offensive pressure to secure the win.
After an impressive offensive showing, the Knicks held off the Hawks to take a 1–0 series lead.
Game 2 will be on Monday night at Madison Square Garden, as the Knicks look to take a commanding 2–0 series lead. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.
