Brunson Leads Knicks to Victory Over Hawks; Secures Win in Eastern Conference Playoffs Game 1
The New York Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 106-87 in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs, propelled by Jalen Brunson's early scoring and Karl-Anthony Towns' clutch 4th quarter performance.
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- 📰 Published: April 19, 2026 at 12:06
- 🔍 Collected: April 19, 2026 at 13:00 (54 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 13:50 (50 min after Collected)
According to the Associated Press, both teams opened the game with full firepower. The Knicks hit 8 of their first 9 shots, while the Hawks made 6 of their first 7.
Before the game, Jalen Brunson was already the franchise record holder for scoring 40 points in a playoff game eight times. Today, he made all of his first 6 shots, scoring 19 points in the first quarter alone, leading fans to briefly believe he would achieve another 40-point milestone.
At the end of the first half, the Knicks led 57-55. Although Brunson's offense cooled down in the second half, Karl-Anthony Towns, who was only 1 for 6 with 6 points in the first half, stepped up at the right moment and played a crucial role down the stretch.
In the 4th quarter, with the Knicks leading by 8 points at 93-85, Towns sank a three-pointer to make it 96-85. Subsequently, although Hawks guard Gabe Vincent scored on a layup, the Knicks immediately retaliated. Led by Jordan Clarkson's back-to-back baskets, an "and-one" play by Towns, and a deep three-pointer, the Knicks completed a 10-0 run. With about four and a half minutes left in the game, they widened the gap to 106-87, securing the victory.
For the Knicks, Towns scored 25 points, OG Anunoby contributed 18 points, and Josh Hart added 11 points and 14 rebounds. On the Hawks' side, CJ McCollum led his team with 26 points, and Jalen Johnson chipped in with 23 points.
This was the Knicks' first playoff appearance since Mike Brown took over as head coach. Previously, under Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks reached the playoffs four times in the past five seasons, and last year they reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000.
The two teams will play Game 2 of the series on the evening of the 20th, US time.
Before the game, Jalen Brunson was already the franchise record holder for scoring 40 points in a playoff game eight times. Today, he made all of his first 6 shots, scoring 19 points in the first quarter alone, leading fans to briefly believe he would achieve another 40-point milestone.
At the end of the first half, the Knicks led 57-55. Although Brunson's offense cooled down in the second half, Karl-Anthony Towns, who was only 1 for 6 with 6 points in the first half, stepped up at the right moment and played a crucial role down the stretch.
In the 4th quarter, with the Knicks leading by 8 points at 93-85, Towns sank a three-pointer to make it 96-85. Subsequently, although Hawks guard Gabe Vincent scored on a layup, the Knicks immediately retaliated. Led by Jordan Clarkson's back-to-back baskets, an "and-one" play by Towns, and a deep three-pointer, the Knicks completed a 10-0 run. With about four and a half minutes left in the game, they widened the gap to 106-87, securing the victory.
For the Knicks, Towns scored 25 points, OG Anunoby contributed 18 points, and Josh Hart added 11 points and 14 rebounds. On the Hawks' side, CJ McCollum led his team with 26 points, and Jalen Johnson chipped in with 23 points.
This was the Knicks' first playoff appearance since Mike Brown took over as head coach. Previously, under Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks reached the playoffs four times in the past five seasons, and last year they reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000.
The two teams will play Game 2 of the series on the evening of the 20th, US time.