New villain emerges in New York as CJ McCollum guides Hawks to 107-106 Game 2 win over Knicks
NBC Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- Hawks guard CJ McCollum emerged as a new antagonist for the Knicks, scoring 32 points and leading Atlanta to a 107-106 comeback win in Game 2, evening the Eastern Conference first-round series at 1-1.
- McCollum faced intense hostility from the Madison Square Garden crowd due to a previous incident involving Knicks star Jalen Brunson, but he embraced the role, calling the crowd's animosity a sign of respect.
- The Knicks struggled with turnovers (14) and poor free-throw shooting (17-of-27), as well as questionable coaching decisions, including lineups without key players Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, which allowed the Hawks to close a 14-point deficit.
- Despite Towns' overall strong performance, he was ineffective in the fourth quarter, and the Knicks failed to utilize him properly in late-game situations, contributing to their inability to secure the win.
- The series shifts to Atlanta with momentum evened, and the Knicks acknowledge the need to learn from mistakes and improve focus to avoid another upset by the younger Hawks squad.
