Jalen Brunson nets 28 points; Knicks outlast Hawks in Game 1

NEW YORK -- The road was paved for Jalen Brunson to add to his litany of exploits, perhaps posting his 10th 40-point playoff game on the fourth anniversary of his first such accomplishment.

But that possibility ended during his rough second half, when he went 0-for-7 from the floor. He still did enough to help the New York Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks 113-102in Game 1 of their first-round series.

Brunson scored 22 of his game-high 28 points in the first half and hit his first six shots in front of an energetic Madison Square Garden crowd.

But even though he struggled in the final 24 minutes, the Knicks' depth helped New York build a 19-point lead in the second half.

"It was a hard-fought win. It was physical," Brunson said. "It was a grind-it-out game."

Brunson was inadvertently kicked in the groin area by Hawks guard CJ McCollumon a jump shot in the third quarter, earning McCollum a technical foul.

Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 19 of his 25 points in the second half, was elbowed in the head by Hawks forward Jonathan Kumingawhile going for a rebound. Knicks backup center Mitchell Robinson was also hit in the groin area by Jalen Johnson on a drive.

Neither Brunson's shooting woes nor the physical play deterred his effectiveness in the second half, as he facilitated and competed on defense. Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, a candidate for the NBA's Most Improved Player, averaged nearly 21 points per game this season and shot around 40% from 3-point range. But the Knicks' relentless perimeter activity limited him to 6-for-17 shooting and 17 points.

"It's really important, you never know what's going to happen," Brunson said. "There's going to be highs and lows of a season, highs and lows of a game, and to be able to fight through and still find a way to impact, is very important for us, especially this point of the season."

Brunson's postseason exploits began when he was a member of the Dallas Mavericks and playing behind Luka Doncic. With Doncic out because of injury, Brunson scored 41 in Game 2 of Dallas' first-round series against the Utah Jazz in 2022. Quin Snyder coached that Jazz team before he became the Hawks coach.

"Luka was out, and that provided an opportunity where there was a need, and he was prepared for that with how good of a player he was," Snyder said before Saturday's Game 1. "It was in some ways foreshadowing, you could feel it. You knew when he was doing some of the things he was doing in that series; it was there."

Brunson usually controls games with his scoring, but he has been more of a facilitator in recent weeks. He is averaging nearly nine assists during a 19-game stretch since March 1.

OG Anunoby scored 19, andJosh Hart added 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks on Saturday. New York coach Mike Brown has been preaching sacrifice this season, and for a night, his players could see the long-term benefits of stepping into the spotlight when the moment calls for it.

"We have capable guys," Brown said. "We feel like this team is deep, and anybody can get going at any time. For us, it's about sacrifice and not worrying about shots or minutes or anything. [Jalen] was good defensively; he was good commanding a double-team. It's something we're going to face the entire playoff, and we have to make sure we continue to be on point about it."

The chemistry between Towns and Brunson has been a daily topic since Towns arrived before the start of last year's training camp. Though their bond hasn't yet developed into what many predicted, it's still growing.

"The longer we're on the court together, our chemistry is better," Brunson said. "We've grown as teammates, we've grown as friends, and it contributed to the way we're playing."br/]