Jalen Brunson hit the tiebreaking basket with 29.8 seconds remaining and prevented CJ McCollum from getting off a tying 3-pointer at the buzzer as the visiting New York Knicks outlasted the Atlanta Hawks for a 108-105 victory on Monday night in a possible playoff preview.
Brunson scored 17 of his 30 points in the fourth and had 14 of New York’s final 16 points. After Nickeil Alexander-Walker missed a 3-point try with 55.1 seconds left, Brunson attempted to get by McCollum, went to his right and saw a 19-footer bounce twice before going in.
Brunson’s basket did not necessarily clinch things, since McCollum hit an uncontested 3 with 2.2 seconds left to make it 106-105. Brunson sank two free throws with 1.2 seconds left and the game ended when McCollum’s halfcourt heave after being guarded by Brunson was waved off since the ball was still in his hands when the horn sounded.
Brunson added 13 assists and was 6-of-10 in the fourth and 11-of-26 overall as the Knicks shot 50% and withstood committing 17 turnovers.
Brunson’s big fourth quarter gave the Knicks (51-28) a 10th win in 13 games and snapped Atlanta’s 13-game home winning streak.
OG Anunoby had 22 points while Karl-Anthony Towns collected 21 and 12 rebounds and helped the Knicks overcome a 10-point deficit in the third. Mikal Bridges contributed 15 while Mitchell Robinson chipped in eight and 12 rebounds.
Alexander-Walker led the Hawks (45-34) with 36 points and hit seven 3s, including a corner 3 that gave Atlanta a 100-95 lead with 3:15 left. Jalen Johnson added 21 and 11 boards as Atlanta lost for just the fourth time in 23 games since the All-Star break.
The Hawks held a 10-point lead after Johnson’s one-handed slam with 6:44 remaining. Towns fueled the comeback with 10 straight New York points and the Knicks took an 81-79 lead into the fourth following Anunoby’s corner 3 with 1.8 seconds left.
Atlanta took a 90-85 lead on Alexander-Walker’s 3 with 6:51 left but Robinson forged a 90-90 deadlock with 5:28 left on a putback following two offensive rebounds.
After Alexander-Walker’s corner trey, Brunson scored seven straight and his 6-footer over McCollum put New York up 102-100 with 2:01 left. McCollum answered with a tying 6-footer on the next possession and Brunson missed two shots before snapping the tie.
