New York, NY, Apr. 18, 2026 — The New York Knicks built a 44-38 cushion on the Atlanta Hawks with 6:28 left in the second quarter of Saturday’s Game 1 in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series at Madison Square Garden.
Guard Jalen Brunson spearheaded the Knicks’ fast start, pouring in 19 points on 8-for-11 shooting. Mikal Bridges followed with seven points as New York knocked down 55 percent of its field-goal attempts and went 6-of-11 from three-point range.
C.J. McCollum led Atlanta with 10 points, while Jalen Johnson chipped in eight points and pulled down 10 rebounds. The Hawks shot 44 percent overall and 42 percent (5-of-12) from beyond the arc.
New York committed four turnovers to Atlanta’s one but held the upper hand thanks to its shooting efficiency. The Hawks owned a 19-13 edge on the glass midway through the second period.
The Knicks, who finished the regular season 53-29 (30-10 at home), entered the postseason as the higher seed against the 46-36 Hawks (22-19 on the road). The opener is streaming exclusively on Prime Video with officials Mousa Dagher, John Goble, Curtis Blair and Ray Acosta on the floor.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven set will also be played in New York before the series shifts to Atlanta.
Source: ESPN
