The New York Knicks opened their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series with authority Saturday night, defeating the Atlanta Hawks 113–102 at Madison Square Garden to take a 1–0 series lead. Powered by an explosive first quarter from Jalen Brunson and a dominant second half from Karl-Anthony Towns, New York seized early control of the matchup and protected home court in its postseason debut under head coach Mike Brown.
Brunson finished with 28 points, while Towns delivered 25—19 of them after halftime—as the Knicks’ balanced attack proved too much for a Hawks team that entered the playoffs red hot following a strong finish to the regular season.
Brunson wasted little time setting the tone in Game 1, scoring 19 points in the opening quarter alone. He knocked down his first six shots and guided the Knicks to a 30–24 lead after one period, immediately energizing the Madison Square Garden crowd.
Already the franchise record-holder with eight career 40-point playoff performances, Brunson looked poised for another monster night early on. Though his scoring pace slowed after halftime, his early dominance established the tempo and forced Atlanta to play from behind most of the evening.
While Brunson carried the early offensive load, Towns delivered the knockout punch in the second half.
After going just 1-for-6 from the field for six points before the break, Towns erupted after intermission. He scored inside and out, stretching Atlanta’s defense with perimeter shooting and finishing strong in the paint as the Knicks steadily widened their advantage.
His biggest stretch came midway through the fourth quarter during a decisive Knicks run. With New York leading by eight, Towns buried a three-pointer that helped spark a 10–0 burst. Contributions from Jordan Clarkson and Gabe Vincent followed, and Towns capped the surge with a three-point play and another triple that pushed the lead to 106–87 with about 4½ minutes remaining.
The Knicks’ depth also played a critical role in securing the victory. OG Anunoby added 18 points with strong two-way play, while Josh Hart contributed 11 points and a team-high 14 rebounds, helping control the glass and limit second-chance opportunities for Atlanta.
The performance highlighted the continuity of a Knicks roster that has now reached the playoffs four times in the past five seasons—building on last year’s run to the franchise’s first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000.
Atlanta stayed within striking distance thanks to strong performances from CJ McCollum and Jalen Johnson, who scored 26 and 23 points respectively.
The Hawks briefly threatened late in the fourth quarter, ripping off an 11–0 run to cut the deficit to 106–98. However, Towns answered with another clutch basket to restore a double-digit cushion and halt the momentum.
Earlier in the second half, McCollum was assessed a technical foul following a reviewed hostile-act call after his leg made contact with Brunson on a jumper. Atlanta also attempted to exploit Mitchell Robinson at the foul line with intentional fouls, but the strategy failed to significantly alter the game’s outcome.
Both teams opened the night shooting at a blistering pace—New York began 8-for-9 from the field, while Atlanta answered by hitting six of its first seven attempts. But as the game slowed in the third quarter, the Knicks’ defense tightened and their offensive balance began to take control.
Atlanta entered the playoffs as the No. 6 seed after finishing the regular season on a remarkable 20–6 run following the All-Star break. Still, New York’s poise and depth proved decisive in Game 1.
Now leading the series 1–0, the third-seeded Knicks will look to extend their advantage when they host Game 2 Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
