Jalen Brunson scored 28 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 25 as the New York Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 113-102 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference playoff series on April 18, 2026.
The Knicks took control early, with Brunson scoring 19 points in the first quarter and shooting 6-for-6 to start the game. He finished 9-for-22 from the field with seven assists and two turnovers in 36 minutes. Towns struggled early, scoring just five points on 1-for-6 shooting in the first half, but adjusted after halftime by using his pump-and-drive game to attack the rim and draw fouls. He finished with 25 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks, helping hold the Hawks to 41.9% shooting in the second half.
New York’s defense, ranked sixth-best in the NBA since January 1, disrupted Atlanta’s rhythm after intermission. The Hawks scored just 32 points in the first 19 minutes of the second half on 37.1% shooting and went 3-of-15 from three-point range. Atlanta’s offense relied heavily on its top four players — CJ McCollum (26 points), Jalen Johnson (23), Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Onyeka Okongwu — who combined for 85 points. The rest of the Hawks scored only 17 points, with the bench contributing just six.
The Knicks outscored Atlanta 22-13 in fastbreak points and dominated the glass, with Josh Hart grabbing 14 rebounds and OG Anunoby adding 19 points while playing elite defense. New York’s bench outscored Atlanta’s reserves significantly, a factor that proved critical as the game progressed.
For more on this story, see The Novel York Knicks defeat Atlanta Hawks 113-102 in 2026 playoff opener, led by Brunson and Towns.
Atlanta attempted to disrupt New York’s rhythm by intentionally fouling rookie center Mitchell Robinson, who shot 40.8% from the free-throw line during the regular season. Robinson made just one of four free throws in the third quarter before being substituted out, prompting Knicks coach Mike Brown to proceed with a smaller lineup that increased the team’s pace and transition opportunities.
New York led by two points at halftime, 57-55, after surviving a cold shooting spell by Atlanta that included six consecutive missed field goals. The Knicks extended their lead in the fourth quarter, shooting 7-of-11 (63.6%) and pushing the advantage to double digits before closing out the win.
The victory gives the Knicks a 1-0 series lead ahead of Game 2 on April 20 at Madison Square Garden. For a team seeking to advance past the second round for the first time since 2000, the performance signaled both offensive firepower and defensive resilience.
How did Karl-Anthony Towns adjust his game after a slow first half?
Towns shifted from facilitating to scoring, using his pump-and-drive move to get past defenders into the paint, draw fouls and finish, while also contributing defensively with two blocks.
What defensive strategy did the Hawks use to slow Jalen Brunson in the second half?
Atlanta employed multiple perimeter defenders to physically challenge Brunson, limiting him to one field goal after his explosive first quarter.
