Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns lead Knicks past Hawks

Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 53 points as they led the New York Knicks to a solid 113-102 win over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 1 of the first-round series on Saturday night.

Going into the game, New York ended the regular season with a 53-29 record. This allowed them to secure the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket, taking on the six-seeded Hawks squad in the first round.

New York has high expectations as the team tries to reach the Conference Finals for the second straight year and the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. Atlanta will be the first test in the squad’s championship goal, something that Brunson and Towns made sure to shine throughout the series opener.

How Jalen Brunson, Knicks played against Hawks

Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns commanded the offense as the Knicks used a strong third quarter to take down the Hawks in Game 1.

Both teams competed throughout the first half as New York only led 57-55 at halftime. Despite this, the hosts came through with a 26-19 display in the third quarter to create significant distance from Atlanta and secure the series-opening win.

Free throws made the difference in this matchup. The Knicks prevailed in this category after making 25 out of 30 free throws. It wasn’t the same for the Hawks as they converted 12 out of 19 chances at the line.

Five players scored in double-digits for New York in the win. Brunson led the charge with 28 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and one steal. He shot 9-of-22 from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. Towns came next with 25 points and eight rebounds, while OG Anunoby had 19 points and eight rebounds. Meanwhile, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges provided 11 points each.

The Knicks will look to take a 2-0 series lead when they host the Hawks in Game 2. The matchup will commence on April 20 as tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET.

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