How Knicks’ Jordan Clarkson healed OG Anunoby’s ailments: ‘Sprinkled a little spice’

Clarkson, too, played a strong game and put up eight points and two offensive rebounds in 11 minutes on the floor. He also got an assist that won’t show on the stat sheet. He’s now helped the Knicks’ defensive stopper back onto the court, this time when the team needs him most.

BIG PLUSES

Clarkson and Miles McBride were part of a bench unit helping the Knicks pull away from the Hawks in Game 1. McBride was plus-12 in 21 minutes on the floor and finished with six points on two-of-four shooting from 3-point range. Clarkson was plus-nine in his 11 minutes on the floor.

“[They were] unbelievable. And they came in and made plays on both sides of the ball,” team captain Jalen Brunson said after practice on Sunday. “They made big shots, and they made plays that had a lot of attention to detail that may get overlooked, but they were focused and they got it done.”

McBride’s resurgence has been notable given his recent return from core muscle surgery to repair a sports hernia. An injury he described as being repeatedly stabbed in the groin and core area derailed a strong early campaign for McBride, who was averaging close to 13 points on 42% 3-point shooting before exiting the rotation.

“Deuce” averaged just 6.7 points in the six games he played after returning from injury after spending two months rehabbing from his surgery. And Clarkson, too, has been in and out of the rotation, a mainstay during the Knicks’ ride to the NBA Cup, an outcast when the Knicks dropped nine out of 11 games to start the 2026 calendar year, then a reinsertion into the rotation during the latter stretch of the regular season.

“Jordan, being out [of the lineup], he kept his mind present, he kept his body right. And it’s not just about the scoring that he’s done for us, but Jordan also understands that,” said Brown. “It’s ‘You know what? I’ve got to keep trying to figure out how I can separate myself from the pack and do the little things.’

“Part of those little things are he’s defending. He’s physical defensively, at times. He’s picking up full-court, and then he’s offensive rebounding. So he’s doing all the little things. And he may not get three or four offensive rebounds a game like Mitch [Robinson], but his impact of going to the glass every time, that has a cumulative effect on not just the guy guarding him, but on our opponent [as a whole]. So continue to embrace those little things is huge.”

GOOD DEFENSE, BETTER OFFENSE

C.J. McCollum scored a team-high 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting from the field in Game 1 against the Knicks. Was it good defense but better offense? Or are there some hiccups the Knicks need to clean up before they see Atlanta for Game 2?

“I think we can clean up [some things]. That communication of those small-small [guard lineups] and not allowing them to get him and Nickel [Alexander-Walker] to get open shots. But they’re talented players. You just try to get them to shoot as many contested shots as you can.

“So the communication’s got to be better. I think the physicality was good, but we had to ramp that up. They’re good players.”

Brunson said it’s a tough task. McCollum arrived in Atlanta via the Trae Young trade with the Washington Wizards but is a 20-point-per-game scorer over the life of his now 13-year NBA career.

“He played really well. He made a lot of tough shots, and he also got a lot of easy ones to get himself going in rhythm,” said Brunson. “So that’s just who he is. You know, he’s been able to be a big time performer in these situations. So we just gotta lock-in together.”