CJ McCollum hits a go-ahead midrange jumper with 12.5 left on the clock and Atlanta seals a Game 3 win on the final possession.
ATLANTA – Game up for grabs, both teams have chances, both sides have capable heroes. So what happens?
Well: There’s a reason the Atlanta Hawks are leading their best-of-seven first round series with the New York Knicks. For the second straight game, they held all the fourth-quarter answers, and in this latest victory, all the closing-second solutions in a game that came down to a final possession.
The Hawks were more poised, better defensively and the best saviors on the floor weren’t Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, but CJ McCollum and Jonathan Kuminga … neither of whom were Hawks when the season tipped off.
The Hawks led early, saw their advantage swell by double digits for almost half the game, then held on for a near carbon-copy one-point victory after a desperate Knicks rally, just like in Game 2. And speaking of desperate — the Knicks are now trail 2-1 with Game 4 also set for State Farm Arena (Saturday, 6 p.m. ET on Peacock/NBC).
If there is Southern Comfort in Atlanta about the state of this series, then there’s some restlessness in New York City about the vibe.
“I told (our players) it’s a seven-game series for a reason,” said Knicks coach Mike Brown. “Stuff’s gonna happen. We gave ourselves a chance despite not playing our best basketball.”
Here are the takeaways from Atlanta’s tense Game 3 victory:
1. Kuminga is catching up quickly
Jonathan Kuminga starts Game 3 off 4-for-4 in a perfect 1st quarter.
His time in Atlanta has been inconsistent — productive one game, unimpressive the next — since arriving from the Warriors. That said, in these situations, all that counts is the playoffs. And so far, so solid for Kuminga in this series.
For the second straight game, each a win for the Hawks, Kuminga thrived. He followed up a 19-point performance in Game 2 by boosting the Hawks’ bench, totaling 11 points in 12 first-half minutes. Those buckets helped the Hawks seize control of the game quickly; they kept the lead until losing it only briefly 63 seconds from the buzzer.
Kuminga finished with 21 points, made a crucial steal to seal the outcome and is endearing himself to coach Quin Snyder. At this stage, Kuminga has not only found a role but a meaty place in the rotation, which doesn’t appear to include Zaccharie Risacher, the 2024 No. 1 overall pick who lost his spot to Kuminga.
“He did some things that really gave our team a lift,” said Snyder. “I think the biggest thing he’s done is he’s just defended. Another guy that’s in there and competing.”
2. CJ soars once again
CJ McCollum scores 23 points, including the go-ahead bucket in a Game 3 win over the Knicks.
The ball was in his hands when the game was on the line and it was a case of rinse-and-repeat, because for yet another game McCollum was the difference maker.
He sank the eventual game-winning shot, with 12.3 seconds left, on the Hawks’ final possession by calmly setting up for his specialty — a mid-range J made possible by shaking free of the defense with a crisp few dribbles and a step-back.
That the Hawks went to McCollum (23 points) and not All-Star Jalen Johnson speaks volumes on the confidence the club has in the 34-year-old veteran who has elevated his game and role since arriving from the lottery-bound Washington Wizards at the trade deadline.
McCollum started Game 3 hot with 16 points by halftime, then had mild stretches before accepting the late-game challenge of producing the victory. Just before his game-winner, McCollum had a layup attempt blocked by Towns, which led to Brunson putting the Knicks ahead when McCollum fouled him, resulting in a three-point play.
That’s how delicate these situations can be — McCollum went from a possible goat to the hero in a matter of seconds.
3. Bridges or McBride is a decision
Knicks coach Mike Brown had seen enough. With the Knicks trailing by double digits and needing a spark, he pulled Mikal Bridges two minutes into the second half and went largely with a smaller lineup featuring guard Miles McBride.
It was tricky in one sense, because Bridges has done a superb job defensively, especially against Nickeil Alexander-Walker, the Kia Most Improved Player finalist who has struggled shooting this series, missing his first six shots Thursday. But Bridges was also scoreless in the game at the time — over a four-quarter stretch of the last two games, he had no field goals and three turnovers — while McBride hit key shots down the stretch Thursday.
The starting lineup with McBride (15 points and five 3-pointers) and minus Bridges was the most productive five for the Knicks all night, and it was no coincidence they helped change the game and produce a stronger second half.
There’s a larger issue here as well; the Knicks surrendered five first-round picks two summers ago to pry Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets, believing him to be the missing piece for a team that hasn’t won a championship since 1973.
Well, it’ll be interesting to see what Brown decides for Game 4. He could continue to start Bridges, but seems likely to limit his minutes if the missed shots continue.
4. Brunson or Towns for the final shot?
How about neither? This was a costly failure by the Knicks to fail to launch an attempt in the final seconds, trailing only by a point. In that situation, not only do the Knicks have options — shoot a mid-range, or attack the rim and hope for a foul, or even a 3-pointer — but they have two players capable of being a hero.
This is mainly a situation tailored for Brunson, and sure enough, it was evident to the Hawks that Towns would not get a touch. The Knicks made a priority to get Towns more involved all game because Towns has an advantage against a smaller Hawks’ team. Towns finished with 21 points but was a ghost and more accurately a decoy in the moment of truth.
It was all Brunson, who was immediately swamped by Onyeka Okungwu. Then Kuminga offered help and poked the ball away, allowing the final seconds to run off and the Hawks to escape.
Snyder said the Hawks were “tag-teaming” Brunson all game with Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels because “guarding him certainly demands that.”
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at spowell@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.
