After Game 1 at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks‘ first-round series with the Atlanta Hawks does not lack playoff intensity.
Saturday’s 113-102 New York win saw Knicks captain Jalen Brunson outduel CJ McCollum, who took issue with his technical foul after a kick to Brunson’s midsection during a shot at the third quarter’s 1:40 mark and the Hawks facing a 57-55 deficit.
“I shot a jumper and Jalen thought we were at a Broadway show,” McCollum said after Saturday’s game. “He acted it out until they reviewed it. It’s a normal jump shot, nothing there — unnecessary, and I look forward to getting my $2,500 (fine) back.”
Brunson told reporters after the Knicks’ Sunday practice that he has “no reaction” to McCollum’s postgame comments.
“I didn’t see it,” New York coach Mike Brown said Sunday of McCollum’s postgame comments. “A lot of guys are going to say a lot of things throughout the course of the playoffs. So, whatever people want to say, that’s up to them.”
Brunson’s game-high 28 points edged McCollum’s 26, combining with Knicks co-star Karl-Anthony Towns to lead a full team effort for third-seeded New York against sixth-seeded Atlanta.
“We’ve just got to be ready for them,” Brunson said Sunday, referencing Monday’s 8 p.m. tipoff for Game 2. “You just know that teams usually bounce back after a loss, and so we’ve got to be ready to up our intensity, up our physicality and just be ready to match theirs. They’re a good team, they’re well-coached and they’re going to be ready to go.”
The Knicks seek a 2-0 lead at the Garden before the best-of-seven set goes to Atlanta for Thursday’s 7 p.m. Game 3.
“It’s one of those things you have to be there and experience it to really understand it,” New York wing Josh Hart said of MSG’s postseason energy Sunday. “Obviously, regular season’s always fun, it’s always cool. And I was talking to (Yankees right-hander) Cam Schlittler (Saturday) about it — playoffs in New York is different. The vibe is different. Everything is heightened in the Garden and, obviously, for them at Yankee Stadium. You’ve got to experience it, man — the energy, the passion, the love, it’s crazy.”
