Buoyed by Brunson, Knicks seal 'hard-fought win'

TL;DR

The New York Knicks secured a 113-102 victory over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 1 of their playoff series, led by Jalen Brunson's 28 points. Despite a tough second half, the Knicks' depth helped maintain a significant lead.

Key points

New York Knicks won Game 1 against Atlanta Hawks
Final score was 113-102
Jalen Brunson scored 28 points
Knicks built a 19-point lead in the second half
Brunson described the game as physical and hard-fought

New York KnicksAtlanta HawksJalen Brunson

NEW YORK -- The road was paved for Jalen Brunson to add to his litany of exploits, perhaps his 10th 40-point playoff game on the four-year anniversary of his first such accomplishment.

A second half where he shot 0-for-7 halted that, but he did enough in the scoring column early to help the New York Knicks strike first in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks with a 113-102 win at Madison Square Garden.

Brunson did cross the 20-point mark for the 38th time in a Knicks uniform, though, with 22 of his game-high 28 points occurring before halftime. He hit his first six shots in front of an energetic crowd that hopes this is the first game in a long trek to the NBA Finals.

But even though he struggled in the final 24 minutes, the Knicks' depth was able to 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 C.J. McCollum on a jump shot in the third quarter, thus resulting in a technical foul.

Karl-Anthony Towns, who came alive in the second half to finish with 25 points, eight rebounds and four assists, was elbowed in the head on a rebound by Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga. Knicks backup center Mitchell Robinson was also hit in the groin area by Jalen Johnson on a drive.

So, Brunson's words weren't just obvious statements.

Neither his shooting woes or the kick was able to deter him from being effective in the second half, as he facilitated and competed on the defensive end. Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, a candidate for the NBA's Most Improved Player, averaged nearly 21 points per game this season and shot around 40 percent from 3-point range. But the relentless activity by the Knicks on the perimeter kept him bottled up. He shot just 6-for-17 with 17 points.

Q&A

What was the final score of the Knicks vs Hawks Game 1 playoff match?

The final score was 113-102 in favor of the New York Knicks.

How many points did Jalen Brunson score in the Knicks' playoff win?

Jalen Brunson scored 28 points in the Knicks' playoff win.

What significant milestone was Jalen Brunson approaching during the game?

Jalen Brunson was approaching his 10th 40-point playoff game.

What did Jalen Brunson say about the nature of the game?

Jalen Brunson described the game as a 'hard-fought win' and noted it was a physical, grind-it-out game.