CJ McCollum Leads Hawks to Stunning 107-106 Win Over Knicks in Game 2

CJ McCollum delivered a clutch performance to lead the Atlanta Hawks to a 107-106 road victory over the New York Knicks in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. The win tied the series at 1-1 after the Hawks trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half.

McCollum scored a game-high 32 points, including a driving layup with 2:08 remaining that gave Atlanta its first lead since the second quarter. Though he missed two free throws with 5.6 seconds left and the Hawks clinging to a one-point advantage, the Knicks failed to capitalize. Mikal Bridges’ potential game-winning midrange jumper rimmed out as time expired, sealing the Hawks’ stunning fourth-quarter rally.

Atlanta outscored New York 28-15 in the final period after the Knicks blew a 12-point lead to start the quarter. New York shot just 5-for-22 from the field and 3-for-11 from three-point range in the fourth, committing two missed free throws and allowing the Hawks to shoot 10-for-15 from the field during the stretch.

Jalen Brunson had cut the deficit to one point with a three-pointer with 7.1 seconds left, but the Knicks’ offensive collapse in the closing minutes proved costly. The loss marked a stark reversal from Game 1, where Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns led New York to a 113-102 victory.

With the series now even, Game 3 is set for Thursday night in Atlanta.