NEW YORK — Jalen Brunson delivered his best outing of the postseason on Tuesday night, pouring in 39 points to propel the New York Knicks past the Atlanta Hawks 126-97 in Game 5 of their first-round series at Madison Square Garden.
The lopsided victory gives New York a 3-2 advantage and a chance to close out the matchup Thursday in Atlanta. Brunson, held below 40 percent shooting twice earlier in the series, broke loose for 17 points in the fourth quarter alone as the Knicks recorded their second straight double-digit win.
Key contributions
- OG Anunoby: 17 points, 10 rebounds
- Karl-Anthony Towns: 16 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Atlanta coach Quin Snyder shifted 6-foot-7 guard Dyson Daniels onto Towns after the forward’s triple-double in Game 4, freeing Brunson from the length that had bothered him earlier. The change backfired: Brunson shot efficiently while New York’s defense limited the Hawks to 42.7 percent from the field and 27.7 percent from three-point range over the past two contests.
Veteran guard CJ McCollum finished with just six points, his lowest total since joining Atlanta in January. “We picked it up as a unit,” Brunson said. “They got looks and we were lucky they missed, but being on the same page at both ends was huge.”
Building resilience
Head coach Mike Brown called Brunson’s performance “phenomenal” and said the Knicks’ response to adversity has hardened the team. “They’ve been through a lot this year,” Brown noted. “There’s nothing that will deter this veteran group.”
With Boston falling at home to Philadelphia in its own Game 5, the Knicks and Celtics are on pace for identical rest periods if both clubs win on the road Thursday. Brown stressed the importance of recovery during a deep playoff run: “The physicality is another level, so giving guys time to recoup their minds and bodies is something we lean on.”
The Knicks will attempt to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals when the series shifts back to State Farm Arena for Game 6.
Source: ESPN
