Knicks-Hawks takeaways: CJ McCollum hits game-winner to give Atlanta 2-1 lead; New York in trouble

Yes, some came after it. Brunson (26 points), and Anunoby (29) kept the fire burning, while Towns added 21, the vast majority in the second half.

Mikal Bridges played 21 minutes, turned the ball over four times, and didn't score, further underlining the team's struggles in generating wide-spread offense.

Off the bench, Miles McBride gave the Knicks a wholly necessary 15 points, all of which came after the first frame.

CJ McGoodLord

Listen, I always liked the McCollum fit better next to Jalen Johnson than Trae Young, but even I'm flabbergasted at how he's been thoroughly dominating this series so far.

The 6-foot-3 guard is playing lead guard, off-guard, acting as a creator, and as a release valve. It's frankly absurd how high his plug-and-playability has been, and it's making all the difference for Atlanta.

His 23 points in Game 3 — including the game-winning pull-up — constantly pressured the Knicks to key in on him, leading to periods of over-helping, thus opening up the court for everyone else.

McCollum's clutch bucket was taken calmly, under control, and with his body fully aligned to the basket, further demonstrating just how effective the veteran can be under pressure.

The KAT with no first-half claws

It's becoming a boring theme for the Knicks to see their primary big man, Towns, approach the beginning of every game with what seems like indifference.

Towns, who came into Game 3 averaging five points per first half, upped it only slightly, squeezing out eight points, yet zero in the opening frame.

That's just not going to get it done for a Knicks team that relies far too much on Brunson, can't count on consistent production from Bridges, and are in drastic need for interior scoring.

The passive nature of Towns is forcing his teammates to carry his burden, even if he does tend to respond in second halves. That creates a predictable pattern, the Hawks are only far too happy to use to their advantage.