CJ McCollum scored 32 points and led a fourth-quarter rally that lifted the Atlanta Hawks to a 107-106 victory over the New York Knicks on April 20, 2026, tying their first-round playoff series at 1-1.
The Hawks trailed by as many as 12 points after three quarters but outscored the Knicks 28-15 in the final period, with McCollum accounting for six of Atlanta’s final eight points. His fadeaway jumper over OG Anunoby with two minutes left gave Atlanta its first lead since early in the second quarter. After Jalen Brunson tied the game with a 3-pointer, McCollum responded with another basket to make it 105-103 with 33 seconds remaining.
McCollum missed two free throws with 5.6 seconds left, but Mikal Bridges’ potential game-winning jumper rimmed out as time expired. The Hawks held on despite the late free-throw misses, with Nickeil Alexander-Walker blocking Brunson and finding Jalen Johnson on a fast break to extend the lead to two possessions before Brunson’s late three.
Brunson led the Knicks with 29 points and seven assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points and eight rebounds. Josh Hart contributed 15 points, 13 rebounds and six assists, lamenting afterward that the Knicks “should have won” and warning that “in the playoffs you can’t give away games.”
The loss ended New York’s streak of 40-1 in postseason games when leading by 12 or more after three quarters since the shot clock era began in 1954-55. The only prior loss in that scenario came when Reggie Miller scored 25 points in the fourth quarter for Indiana in Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference finals.
McCollum, acquired from Washington in January in the trade that sent Trae Young to the Wizards, said he needed to improve his free-throw shooting but praised his team’s resilience. “We know it’s not a series until you get one on the road, and we got one,” he said on NBC. “So now it’s showtime when we get back to the crib.”
The Knicks had also squandered a 19-point lead late in Game 1, allowing an 11-0 Hawks run to cut the deficit to single digits before holding on. The pattern of fourth-quarter collapses raises concerns about New York’s ability to close out tight games against Atlanta’s young, aggressive roster.
With the series shifting to State Farm Arena for Game 3 on Thursday, the Hawks hold home-court advantage and momentum after stealing Game 2 on the road. The Knicks, seeking a fourth straight second-round appearance — their longest such stretch since 1991-92 to 1999-2000 — must adjust to prevent another late-game collapse.
Why did the Knicks lose despite leading after three quarters?
The Knicks scored only 15 points in the fourth quarter and shot 5-of-19 from the field in the final 12 minutes, allowing the Hawks to outscore them 28-15 in the period and erase a 12-point deficit.
What does this mean for the Knicks’ playoff hopes?
New York now faces a must-win Game 3 in Atlanta after failing to close out games when holding double-digit leads late, a situation that has historically been rare for them to lose.
How did McCollum perform in his first major playoff moment with the Hawks?
McCollum scored 32 points, six assists, and delivered the go-ahead basket in the fourth quarter, validating the Hawks’ decision to acquire him in the January trade for Trae Young.
