Jalen Brunson Phenomenal Night Leads Knicks Past Atlanta

Jalen Brunson produced 39 points to drive the New York Knicks to a 126-97 Game 5 win over the Atlanta Hawks, giving New York a 3-2 edge in the first-round series. The Knicks now move to Atlanta with a chance to finish the matchup in Game 6 and secure another trip to the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

New York’s dominant display came after a tight start to the series, which Atlanta once led 2-1 following consecutive one-point victories. The Knicks have now strung together two stronger performances, swinging momentum their way heading into the next clash at State Farm Arena.

The victory moved the New York Knicks within one win of a fourth straight appearance in the second round of the postseason. That run would be the franchise’s best stretch since making nine consecutive second-round trips between the 1991-92 and 1999-2000 seasons, underlining New York’s sustained recent playoff presence.

New York’s offence in Game 5 was not carried by Brunson alone. OG Anunoby added 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 16 points, 14 rebounds and six assists. The balanced production pushed the lead out early and allowed the Knicks to control the contest on both ends of the floor.

Brunson’s efficiency stood out as much as the total. The guard converted 15 of 23 field-goal attempts, handed out eight assists and committed just one turnover. Brunson did much of the late damage as well, scoring 17 of the 39 points in the fourth quarter, shutting down any faint hopes of an Atlanta comeback.

Key individual numbers from the New York Knicks in Game 5 are shown below, highlighting the main contributors in the win over Atlanta and reflecting how the team’s leaders combined scoring with playmaking and rebounding impact at Madison Square Garden.

Mike Brown praised the New York Knicks guard’s Game 5 display in clear terms, viewing it as the standout showing of Brunson’s Knicks career so far. Brown said: He [Brunson] was phenomenal.

Brown’s view carries extra weight because Brunson has already delivered several major playoff performances since joining the New York Knicks from the Dallas Mavericks four years ago. Brunson posted three straight 40-point outings against the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2024 first round, pushing New York through that series.

Another example came against Detroit last season, when Brunson hit 40 points in Game 6 to close out that matchup. Brunson also delivered 39 points and 12 assists versus Boston in the second round last year, a game that gave the New York Knicks a 3-1 series lead and underlined Brunson’s growing postseason profile.

The coach of the New York Knicks believes the challenges in this first-round battle with Atlanta could strengthen the group for later rounds if New York progresses. Brown pointed to the way the squad has responded collectively to injuries, narrow losses and shifting series pressure over the course of the campaign.

Brown added: You've got to go through some adversity through the course of the year and see what you're made of, see how you'll respond, Brown added. The guys have been through a lot so far this year and continue to go through it. They've been through it as a group. There's nothing that will deter this group, this veteran group.

Brunson explained that the New York Knicks are pleased with their improved level over the past two games but remain aware that Atlanta can respond. The guard stressed that the team must stay mentally sharp, treating each adjustment like a move on a chessboard as the series heads back to Georgia.

[We have]the right mindset, Brunson said. Now this [game]is over with. We won. It's 3-2 now. As soon as we get to the back, we'll flush it and get ready for Game 6. It's like a chess match. If someone makes a move, you've got to make another. You've got to wait to see what they do. The way we play, we've got to be ready for anything. Anything can happen in this series, so we've just got to be locked in for Game 6.

The New York Knicks now stand one victory from another second-round berth, backed by Brunson’s scoring bursts and contributions from Anunoby and Towns. Atlanta must win Game 6 at home to extend the series, while New York aims to carry the confidence of two strong performances into a potential closeout game.