NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 28 factors, Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 of his 25 in the second half and the New York Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks 113-102 on Saturday night time in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference playoff series.
OG Anunoby added 18 factors and Josh Hart had 11 factors and 14 rebounds for the Knicks in their first postseason recreation beneath Mike Brown after making 4 journeys in 5 years beneath Tom Thibodeau, capped by their first journey to the Eastern Conference finals since 2000 final 12 months.
The No. 3 seed in the East once more this season hosts Game 2 on Monday night time.
CJ McCollum had 26 factors and Jalen Johnson added 23 for the Hawks, who went 20-6 after the All-Star break to earn the No. 6 seed.
“We know that they’re going to be ready for Game 2,” Brunson mentioned. “So quick turnaround and extreme focus.”
Brunson, who already owns the Knicks’ report with eight 40-point video games in the postseason, was virtually midway to a different in the primary quarter. He made his first six pictures and had 19 factors because the Knicks led 30-24.
Brunson did not do as a lot in the second half, however Towns took over after he was simply 1 for six for six factors on the break.
“We did a great job as a team just fighting and continuing to find ways to score and also impact winning,” Towns mentioned.
The groups acquired off to scorching begins, with the Knicks opening 8 for 9 and Atlanta 6 for 7, earlier than play slowed to a crawl in the third quarter. McCollum was reviewed for a hostile act and referred to as for a technical foul after kicking his leg up on a jumper into Brunson’s groin space, and the Hawks twice deliberately fouled Mitchell Robinson, and the poor foul shooter went 1 for 4.
By the time the Hawks acquired going once more, it was too late.
With the Knicks up by eight, Towns hit a 3-pointer, and after Gabe Vincent’s basket, Jordan Clarkson had two buckets and Towns had a three-point play and a 3-pointer for a 10-0 burst that made it 106-87 with about 4 1/2 minutes remaining.
Atlanta ran off 11 straight to chop it to 106-98, however Towns scored to revive the double-digit lead.
“I like the way we came back at the end of the game,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder mentioned. “They were resilient in that situation, it was just too little, too late.”
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