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Key moments and players from the Knicks’ narrow 109-108 defeat to the Hawks in Thursday night’s Game 3 clash in Atlanta:
Hero
CJ McCollum was mostly quiet in the second half, scoring just seven points. However, it was his final two points that proved decisive, as he nailed the game-winning shot for Atlanta.
During the first half, McCollum was instrumental in building the Hawks’ lead, contributing 16 points to their effort. Notably, this time around, the arena was free from any “F–k you, CJ” chants from the crowd.
Zero
While McCollum’s performance may not have been his most dazzling, he delivered when it counted in the postseason.
On the other hand, Mikal Bridges faced a tough night. He was sidelined for the last 9:48 of the third quarter due to defensive struggles and an inability to score. Although he made a brief return in the fourth quarter, he was benched again with 9:25 remaining in the game.
Unsung hero
After managing just 14 points and only nine shots in Game 2, OG Anunoby poured in 19 points in the second half to finish with a team-high 29.
It didn’t matter in the end, but this is the blueprint for Anunoby.
Key stat
2: The combined points from Bridges and Josh Hart — two of the Knicks starters. Hart only scored on a dunk with 7:35 remaining.