CJ McCollum and the Hawks put the Knicks against the ropes

Atlanta struck again at the decisive moment and took a nail-biting victory that changes the course of the series. A jump shot by CJ McCollum with 12.5 seconds left gave the 109-108 win to the Atlanta Hawks against the New York Knicks, putting the series at 2-1 in the first-round playoffs.

The shooting guard once again became the executioner of New York. After his outstanding performance in the second game at Madison Square Garden, he took responsibility in the final stretch when his team was down by one point. From about five meters out, he executed a perfect fadeaway to finish with 23 points.

Coach Quin Snyder praised the shot as "a great shot," but emphasized the collective effort. Atlanta dominated for much of the game, holding an 18-point lead in the first half, supported by solid team play.

The game seemed under control, but the Knicks reacted in the final quarter. A 2+1 play by Jalen Brunson with 1:03 left set the score at 108-105 in favor of the home team, raising alarms in Atlanta. However, after a basket by Jalen Johnson —the top scorer for the Hawks with 24 points— and several errors by New York, the outcome was left in the hands of McCollum.

The Knicks had their chances. Josh Hart missed a crucial three-pointer, and on the last possession, Jonathan Kuminga —shining off the bench with 21 points— stole the ball from Brunson to seal the visitor's triumph.

In the New York team, OG Anunoby led with 29 points, followed by Brunson's 26 and Karl-Anthony Towns' 21, although their effort was not enough.

Keys for the Hawks

Atlanta set itself apart from the start, especially with a 27-12 run in the first quarter that included an 11-0 run and three consecutive three-pointers — one by Mouhamed Gueye and two by Kuminga — igniting the atmosphere at the State Farm Arena. Nevertheless, New York responded before halftime with a 12-2 run, leaving the score at 58-50.

The fourth game will be played on Saturday in Atlanta, with the Hawks in the lead and having shown that they have a reliable executor in crucial moments.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, CJ McCollum y los Hawks ponen a los Knicks contra las cuerdas