A rough start on the defensive end 
The third game of the series underlines Atlanta’s momentum. Quin Snyder’s staff are back in Georgia, and the Hawks wasted no time making that count. They ripped off an 11-0 run in the middle of the first quarter and opened up a 17-9 lead. Jalen Brunson, with 26 points and 4 assists, got New York moving, but the visitors’ defense was far too easy to breach. Drives got through, shots from the outside went up, and too many of them dropped.
The Knicks’ offense was grim from the start. They made just 1 of 10 from long range in the opening period, and after 12 minutes they were already staring at a 33-21 hole.
Clogging the middle and making possessions count 
The pattern held in the second quarter. New York could not close off the paint, and Mouhamed Gueye and Onyeka Okongwu kept cashing in at the rim after offensive rebounds. But the big swing came from CJ McCollum. The guard finished with 23 points, shooting 8-for-19 overall and 2-for-4 from deep. The Knicks had no answer for him. One clean step-back after another stretched Atlanta’s lead to 55-38.
The gap shrinks, briefly
The third quarter brought a response. Nickeil Alexander-Walker first widened the margin with back-to-back threes, then New York punched back with an 11-point burst without reply to make it 69-64. Even so, the visitors were still getting hammered on the boards. McCollum punished another second-chance possession after a miss from long range. Karl-Anthony Towns, who posted 21 points and 17 rebounds, steadied things before the final period, with Atlanta ahead 88-80.
A clutch finish decided by the clock
Miles McBride dragged the Knicks back within four, but Atlanta still had the edge on the glass. OG Anunoby finished with 29 points and 9 rebounds, knocking down two shots from the perimeter against Jalen Johnson, who answered with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 8 assists. With 90 seconds left, it was level at 105-105. The Knicks briefly nudged in front on a bonus bucket from Jalen Brunson with a minute to go.
Then CJ McCollum took over the next-to-last possession. He drilled a mid-range jumper over Miles McBride with 12 seconds left. Brunson’s reply ended in a turnover, and Atlanta walked away with the win, 109-108.
What the supporting cast did
Dyson Daniels stood out away from the headline numbers, pulling down 13 rebounds. That matched his career benchmark exactly. Jonathan Kuminga added 21 points off the bench. Atlanta also kept Zaccharie Risacher nailed to the bench, leaving him unused for the full 48 minutes, just as they had in the previous meeting.
Discover more NBA news on Mathodds!
Leave a Reply