Despite some big shots down the stretch of Monday’s game, it was not the Hawks’ time. They fell to the Knicks 108-105 in their penultimate home game of the season.
State Farm Arena filled with shouts of “Let’s go Hawks,” with numerous Knicks fans looking to drown them out with “Let’s go Knicks” chants. It gave the Knicks, who have the NBA’s reigning clutch player of the year in Jalen Brunson, enough energy to get the better of the Hawks.
Brunson made four big shots in the final four minutes of the game, including the go-ahead midrange jumper that put the Knicks up 104-102 with 24.8 seconds to play.
The Hawks’ answering layup from Jalen Johnson fell short and they fouled on the other end, giving up a pair of free throws with 5.4 seconds to play.
Though CJ McCollum hit a 3 that cut the Hawks’ deficit to 106-105, they ran out of time. McCollum’s 60-foot, 3-point attempt to force overtime went in but came just after the buzzer.
Quick stats: Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 36 points on 7-of-11 shooting from 3. Jalen Johnson had 21 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. McCollum had 17 points and six assists.
Knicks’ Brunson finished with 30 points, after scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 12 rebounds.
Key moment
Alexander-Walker has some big moments this season. He notched another on Monday night when he sank his third 3-pointer of the night. He set a new Hawks record for 3s in a single season with 8:16 to play in the third quarter.
It continues the Hawks guard’s career season, one that positions him as a favorite for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.
Highlight play
The Hawks needed a big play with the Knicks bearing down on them in the third quarter. With 44 seconds to play in the third, Towns drove on Onyeka Okongwu and pulled up for a jumper. Okongwu got up and met him at the rim, blocking his shot.
Okongwu secured the rebound and passed it to McCollum. The veteran guard then found Okongwu trailing and the Hawks center wide open. Okongwu put the shot up and drained the 3.
What they said
“I thought I got it off (in time). Quick release, I had a good angle to bank it. I was just trying to put enough on it to give it a chance, but replay said otherwise.” -- McCollum to Hawks.com writer Kevin Chouinard on the potential game-tying heave.
“I think the main, the biggest takeaway, this is like, a lesson. It’s good for us to be battle tested headed into postseason, and that’s a good team.” -- Alexander-Walker on the Hawks’ takeaways from Monday’s loss.
“I think for us, our biggest thing is just continue to execute at a high level, especially with games coming down to the wire like they did tonight.” -- Johnson on if they considered the atmosphere of Monday similar to one they may feel in the playoffs.
Up next
The Hawks face the Cavaliers on Wednesday in the first game of an away-and-home series.
Standings watch
The Hawks may have dropped Monday’s game but they still have a hold on the fifth seed. The 76ers also lost their game, falling to the Spurs.
But following their loss, the Hawks can move no higher than the fifth seed with just three games left in the regular season. The Cavaliers beat the Grizzlies and now have a five-game lead on the Hawks.
The Cavaliers trail the Knicks by just one game. So, there’s still a possibility the Hawks could see the Knicks if they fall to the fourth seed while the Hawks remain in fifth.
The Hawks could still fall out of the top six, with three games remaining against two tough opponents in the Cavaliers and the Heat.
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