By: Jennifer Portee
4/21/2026
Madison Square Garden was already leaning toward celebration until CJ McCollum flipped the entire script.
McCollum dropped 32 points and took over late as the Atlanta Hawks stormed back to steal a 107-106 win from the New York Knicks in Game 2, evening their first-round series at 1-1. What looked like a comfortable Knicks win turned into a fourth quarter collapse, with Atlanta taking control when it mattered most.
“It’s a long game,” McCollum said. “You’ve got to play to zero.”
Atlanta spent most of the night chasing. Down double digits entering the fourth and still trailing late, the Hawks stayed within striking distance before McCollum went to work. He gave Atlanta its first second half lead with just over two minutes left, then kept answering every New York push with calm, controlled shot making.
After Jalen Brunson knocked it down from deep to even the score, McCollum answered right back with a jumper to take control again. Moments later, Jalen Johnson added a clutch bucket in the final seconds to stretch the lead, giving Atlanta just enough cushion to survive a chaotic finish.
That ending nearly slipped away. McCollum missed two free throws with 5.6 seconds left, opening the door for New York. With no timeouts, the Knicks rushed up the floor, but Mikal Bridges’ last-second jumper didn’t fall sealing a comeback that felt unlikely for most of the night.
Atlanta’s supporting cast played a key role in the turnaround. Jonathan Kuminga brought energy off the bench with 19 points, while Johnson added 17, helping fuel the late push that slowly chipped away at New York’s lead.
For the Knicks, it was a missed opportunity they rarely let slip. They had controlled the game for three quarters and built a double-digit lead behind Brunson’s 29 points and Karl-Anthony Towns’ strong third quarter. Historically, that’s been more than enough New York had almost never lost in the postseason when leading by 12 or more heading into the fourth.
But this time, it all came apart.
“This is a game we should have won,” Josh Hart said. “In the playoffs, you can’t give those away.”
New York still held an eight-point lead with under five minutes to go, but their offense stalled just as Atlanta’s young players found life. The Hawks’ energy shifted, the shots started falling, and McCollum unfazed even after a heated third-quarter exchange took control of the moment.
Acquired midseason in a deal that sent Trae Young to Washington, McCollum delivered exactly what Atlanta needed: a steady closer who could take over late in a hostile environment. On Monday night, he did just that outdueling Brunson down the stretch and ripping away a game the Knicks thought they had secured.
Now, the series heads to Atlanta with momentum suddenly on the Hawks’ side and questions beginning to build for a Knicks team that let one slip away.