CJ McCollum delivered another clutch playoff moment Thursday night, knocking down a fadeaway jumper with 12.5 seconds remaining to give the Atlanta Hawks a dramatic 109–108 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. The win gives Atlanta a 2–1 edge in the best-of-seven matchup heading into Game 4 on Saturday in Atlanta.
McCollum, who stunned New York with a standout performance in Game 2 at Madison Square Garden, came through again when it mattered most. With the Hawks trailing by one in the final seconds, he calmly created space from about 15 feet and buried the decisive shot, finishing the night with 23 points.
Atlanta dictated the pace early, building an 18-point lead in the first half behind balanced scoring and aggressive defense. McCollum set the tone from the opening possession, draining a step-back three-pointer for the game’s first points and piling up 16 by halftime. The Knicks, however, refused to fold.
New York chipped away throughout the second half and briefly took the lead late when Jalen Brunson converted a three-point play with 1:03 remaining, giving the Knicks a 108–105 advantage and silencing the home crowd. But Atlanta responded immediately.
Jalen Johnson, who led the Hawks with 24 points, rolled to the basket for a crucial score to tie the game before McCollum delivered his game-winner moments later.
New York still had opportunities after McCollum’s basket, but Atlanta’s defense held firm.
Josh Hart missed a three-point attempt, and although the Knicks grabbed the offensive rebound, they were unable to get a shot off before the shot clock expired. On the final possession, Brunson lost control of the ball as time expired, ending New York’s last chance to steal the win.
Earlier in the game, McCollum contributed defensively as well. After Hart scooped up a loose ball and appeared headed for a breakaway finish, McCollum recovered to block the attempt and knocked the ball off Hart’s foot, preserving possession for Atlanta in a momentum-shifting sequence.
Atlanta received a major lift from Jonathan Kuminga, who scored 21 points off the bench in one of his strongest postseason performances so far. His energy helped stabilize the Hawks during stretches when New York was making its push.
Johnson’s 24 points led the team, while McCollum’s late-game heroics once again proved decisive in a tightly contested series.
Despite the loss, New York saw strong performances from multiple key players.
OG Anunoby led all scorers with 29 points, while Brunson added 26 and Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 21. Still, it wasn’t enough to overcome Atlanta’s early dominance and late execution.
After the game, Knicks head coach Mike Brown voiced frustration with what he believed were missed calls around the basket but emphasized that his team must improve its decision-making in critical moments.
With momentum now clearly on Atlanta’s side, the Hawks will look to extend their advantage when the series continues Saturday in Game 4. If McCollum continues delivering in clutch situations the way he has through the first three games, Atlanta could be in strong position to take firm control of the series.
