Jalen Brunson scores 28 points as the Knicks defeat the Hawks in the opening game
NEW YORK On the fourth anniversary of his first 40-point performance, Jalen Brunson may have added his tenth to his list of accomplishments.
However, he went 0-for-7 from the field in his difficult second half, ending that possibility. In Game 1 of their first-round series on Saturday, the New York Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 113-102 thanks in part to his efforts.
In front of an enthusiastic Madison Square Garden crowd, Brunson made his first six shots and scored 22 of his game-high 28 points in the first half.
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 McCollum on a jump shot in the third quarter, earning McCollum a technical foul.
While attempting to grab a rebound, Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga elbowed Karl-Anthony Towns in the head. Towns scored 19 of his 25 points in the second half. Jalen Johnson also struck Mitchell Robinson, the backup center for the Knicks, in the groin area during a drive.
Brunson's ability to facilitate and compete on defense in the second half was unaffected by either the physical play or his shooting difficulties. A contender for Most Improved Player, Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker averaged 20.8 points per game and shot 39.9% from three-point range during the regular season. However, he was only able to score 17 points and shoot 6-for-17 due to the Knicks' constant perimeter play.
"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.
Josh Hart scored 11 points and pulled down 14 rebounds for the Knicks on Saturday, while OG Anunoby scored 18. This season, New York coach Mike Brown has been advocating for sacrifice, and for one night, his players could understand the long-term advantages of taking center stage when the situation demands it."We have competent guys," Brown remarked.
"We believe that this team is strong and that anyone may contribute at any time. For us, it's about making sacrifices and not caring about shots, minutes, or anything else. [Jalen] had strong defensive skills and was adept at leading a double team. We have to make sure we stay focused on it because it's something we'll have to deal with throughout the playoffs."
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."
