Jalen Brunson set the tone early Saturday at Madison Square Garden, scoring 22 of his game-high 28 points in the first half to help the New York Knicks secure a 113-102 win over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.
Behind Brunson’s fast start, New York built early momentum and carried it through a physical, hard-fought opener. The Knicks’ offense stayed productive throughout the night, finishing with 113 points as they held off Atlanta’s pushes and closed out the victory.
Series update
The win gives New York a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, with the teams meeting again as the opening round continues.