Apr 20, 2026, 11:09 PM ET — The Atlanta Hawks stole Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round series against the New York Knicks with a 107-106 victory at Madison Square Garden, overcoming a 14-point deficit in the third quarter.
CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 32 points, including a go-ahead baseline jumper over OG Anunoby with 34 seconds left, despite missing two free throws with five seconds remaining that could have sealed the win.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson powered the Knicks early, combining for 26 points and eight rebounds before Atlanta’s comeback, but New York failed to hold its lead as Mikal Bridges missed a baseline jumper at the buzzer that would have won the game.
Hawks’ resilience exposed Knicks’ late-game vulnerability
Vincent Goodwill noted that Atlanta kept playing despite the Knicks’ onslaught, with McCollum assuming the role of Trae Young as the object of Madison Square Garden’s ire, drawing chants usually reserved for the Hawks’ star point guard.
The game’s intensity escalated with Robinson drawing a technical foul after stepping over Dyson Daniels, followed by offsetting technicals for Jose Alvarado and McCollum after a verbal exchange in the third quarter.
McCollum then embraced the villain role, prompting Garden fans to chant an unsavory phrase typically directed at Young, shifting the series momentum as Atlanta now heads home with a split and two upcoming games at State Farm Arena.
Knicks must adjust after losing homecourt advantage
Goodwill wrote that New York now has its back against the wall after losing homecourt advantage, facing the prospect of dropping the first two games of a series for the first time since 2015 against the Hawks.
The Knicks’ interior dominance from Towns and Robinson in the first half was undone by Atlanta’s fourth-quarter execution, highlighting a need for better late-game decision-making and defensive communication.
With the series shifting to Atlanta, New York must rediscover its early-season form to avoid falling into a 0-2 hole that would require winning four of the next five games to advance.
What was the final score of Game 2 between the Hawks and Knicks?
The Atlanta Hawks defeated the New York Knicks 107-106 in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.
Who led the Hawks in scoring during Game 2?
CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 32 points, including the go-ahead basket with 34 seconds remaining.