NBA: Brunson Sets Pace, Towns Seals Hawks Victory in New York (113-102) [1-0]

NEW YORK — The New York Knicks opened their first-round playoff series with a victory, defeating the Atlanta Hawks 113-102 at Madison Square Garden. Jalen Brunson, brilliant from the start, and Karl-Anthony Towns, decisive after halftime, led the New York squad to a 1-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference.

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The game started with both offenses firing on all cylinders. The New York Knicks opened with notable accuracy, while the Atlanta Hawks responded at the same pace during the opening minutes. In the midst of that offensive exchange, Brunson appeared immediately, taking control of the game from both the point guard position and the scoring column.

The New York point guard delivered a dominant first quarter. He made his first six shots and closed the period with 19 points, propelling the Knicks to an early 30-24 lead. His aggressiveness set the tone for the game and allowed the home team to play with an advantage from the start.

The Atlanta Hawks stayed in it thanks to CJ McCollum, who scored 26 points, and the push from Jalen Johnson, who added 23. The visiting squad, the sixth seed after a strong stretch run, competed hard and kept the game close for much of the night.

The game tightened in the third quarter. The offensive pace slowed and physical intensity increased. McCollum received a technical foul after a reviewed play with Brunson, while the Hawks tried to slow Mitchell Robinson by sending him repeatedly to the free-throw line.

That's when the second major figure of the night emerged. Karl-Anthony Towns, quiet before halftime with just six points, completely changed the game in the second half. The big man finished with 25 points, including 19 after the break, punishing opponents from inside and beyond the arc when the Knicks needed it most.

With an eight-point lead in the final stretch, Towns extended the margin with a three-pointer. Then came baskets from Gabe Vincent, Jordan Clarkson, and another dominant sequence from the center, who strung together a three-point play and another three-pointer in a 10-0 run to make it 106-87 with about four and a half minutes remaining.

The Atlanta Hawks still responded with 11 consecutive points to get within 106-98, but Towns scored again to restore calm and secure the home victory.

Beyond the leadership of Brunson and Towns, OG Anunoby added 18 points, while Josh Hart contributed 11 points and 14 rebounds, crucial in the unseen work.

The New York Knicks, third in the East, maintain their home strength and seek to repeat the deep playoff run from last season. The Atlanta Hawks will need to adjust quickly if they want to even the series in Game 2 on Monday before returning to Georgia.