Hawks offense struggles in Game 1 loss to Knicks
NEW YORK -- The Hawks went on an 11-0 run and cracked the door open to pull within 106-98 late in the fourth quarter, but they couldn’t kick it open, falling to the Knicks 113-102 in Game 1 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The Hawks looked ready for playoff basketball, keeping the game within two points at the half. But they couldn’t hit a shot in the third quarter, resorting to “Hack-A-Mitch,” where they intentionally fouled Knicks backup center Mitchell Robinson.
It put the Knicks in the bonus with 5:44 to play in the third quarter.
Quick stats: CJ McCollum had 26 points. Jalen Johnson had 23 points and six rebounds. Onyeka Okongwu had 19 points and seven rebounds.
Knicks’ Jalen Brunson had 28 points after putting up 19 points in the first quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points and eight rebounds.
Turning point
Neither team shot the ball well in the third quarter, but the Knicks put the clamps on the Hawks’ offense. The Hawks could not buy a bucket despite firmly winning the possession battle. The Knicks held the Hawks to 19 points.
But the Knicks blew the game open in the opening minutes of the fourth, all with Brunson on the bench. Miles McBride hit a pair of 3s, then OG Anunoby hit a jumper from 11 feet, before Towns made a 3 and got a 3-point play.
The Knicks went up 100-87.
Highlight play
The Hawks refused to go away in the first half of Saturday’s matchup. After fighting their way back from an 11-point deficit early in the second quarter, the Hawks ended the half trailing 57-55 after a buzzer-beating 3 from Okongwu.
With eight seconds to play in the first half, Johnson inbounded the ball to Daniels at halfcourt. Daniels got the ball back to Johnson, who drove to the paint. Johnson took three defenders with him, and Daniels set a screen on Anunoby. It freed up Okongwu for a shot from the right wing.
What they said
“I thought we can play better and offensively. I think the physicality of the game, Game 1, I thought we responded well to that. There’s points when we need to... the formula for us, and our identity has been to run and move the ball and we it’s not like we didn’t do that, but we need to do more of it. We’re playing, obviously, a really good team. It’s game one, and you take it, you watch it, we’ll see more specifically some of the things that we need to do better.” -- Hawks coach Quin Snyder on how the Hawks responded in Game 1.
“A lot of time, I’m playmaking up from up top, with my man being off me and going into hand-off situations and stuff like that. So guys that screen to each other, get each other open on cuts, on back screens, whatever it may be. So, just trying to be like a facilitator, I thought I need to take my aggressiveness up as well. And I only had the four points tonight. So especially with KAT guarding me and I gotta make him guard and take him downhill, try get to the rim a little more. Be strong with the ball.” -- Dyson Daniels on his 11 assists and his adjustment for Game 2.
“I shot a jumper and Jalen (Brunson) thought we were at a Broadway show. He acted it out until they reviewed it. It’s a normal jump shot, nothing there. Unnecessary and I look forward to getting my $2,500 back.” -- McCollum on the technical foul officials assessed him in the third quarter.
Up next
The series continues, with Game 2 set for Monday at 8 p.m. at Madison Square Garden.
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