Knicks vs. Hawks Recap: Brunson’s 30-Point Masterclass Fuels 108-105 Win as Buzzer-Beater Wiped Off – Final Score & Highlights

Sportsphere24 Updates ,April 7, 2026 

Final Score Box Score

Venue: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Attendance: 18,118
Time of Game: 2 hours, 21 minutes
Winning Team: New York Knicks (51-28)
MVP of the Game: Jalen Brunson – 30 PTS, 13 AST, 17 points in 4th quarter 

Introduction: A Finish for the Ages in Atlanta

For 47 minutes and 58.8 seconds on Monday night, the Atlanta Hawks looked poised to extend their magical home winning streak. State Farm Arena was rocking. Nickeil Alexander-Walker was having the game of his career. The Hawks had won 13 straight at home dating back to early February .

Then Jalen Brunson happened.

With 1.2 seconds on the clock and the Knicks clinging to a three-point lead, Brunson stepped to the free-throw line and calmly drained two of the most important free throws of the season. But the drama was far from over.

CJ McCollum caught the inbounds pass near the free-throw line, took two dribbles, and launched a half-court heave that banked through the net. State Farm Arena erupted.

Then the officials waved it off.

Replays showed the ball was still in McCollum's hands as the red lights illuminated the backboard .

Final Score: Knicks 108, Hawks 105.

The victory marked New York's 51st win of the season – already surpassing their 50-win total from a year ago with three games still remaining . For the Hawks, the loss snapped a 13-game home winning streak, their first loss in Atlanta since early February .

Looking for more NBA action? Check out our full recap of 76ers vs. Spurs: San Antonio Secures 60th Win Despite Wembanyama Injury .

First Half: Alexander-Walker Catches Fire, Hawks Build Lead

1st Quarter: Bridges Leads Early Knicks Charge

The Knicks came out firing on all cylinders, shooting 59 percent from the field in the opening frame despite committing five turnovers . Mikal Bridges was the catalyst, pouring in 11 points in the first quarter, including a last-second tip-in that put New York up 32-31 at the break .

OG Anunoby added eight points in the quarter, while Karl-Anthony Towns stuffed the stat sheet with five points, three rebounds, and five assists in just 12 minutes .

But the Hawks refused to go away. Nickeil Alexander-Walker – the Canadian guard who has found a home in Atlanta – dropped 10 first-quarter points to keep the Hawks within striking distance .

End of 1st Quarter: Knicks 32, Hawks 31. 

2nd Quarter: Atlanta’s 12-0 Run Flips the Script

The second quarter belonged to the Hawks' supporting cast.

Miles McBride drilled his second three-pointer of the night early in the quarter to keep New York rolling. Mitchell Robinson began to make his presence felt, blocking a three-pointer, forcing a turnover on defense, grabbing an offensive rebound, and scoring on the second chance to extend the Knicks' lead to 43-36 with about eight minutes left in the half .

Then the Hawks flipped a switch.

Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, and Jalen Johnson led Atlanta on a devastating 12-0 run to go up 48-43, forcing Knicks coach Mike Brown to call a timeout with five minutes remaining in the first half .

Alexander-Walker was simply unstoppable. He finished the half with 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting (3-of-4 from three) , carrying the Hawks' offense .

Halftime Score: Hawks 57, Knicks 53. 

At the break, Brunson had an uncharacteristically quiet first half with just six points on 2-of-8 shooting (0-of-3 from three) . The Knicks had also committed 11 turnovers and were being outrebounded 24-19 .

Third Quarter: Towns Takes Over, Knicks Regain Lead

If the first half belonged to Alexander-Walker, the third quarter was all Karl-Anthony Towns.

The 14-Point Explosion

The Hawks pushed their lead to double digits early in the third quarter. With Atlanta up 10 and the Knicks' offense sputtering, Towns caught fire.

The All-Star big man scored 10 straight points for New York at one stretch, including his second three-pointer of the game. Mitchell Robinson made another clutch steal, leading to a Bridges layup that cut the lead to one point .

Robinson then scored inside to give New York the lead, and Brunson – who had been quiet all night – finally hit his first three-pointer to make it a 78-74 Knicks lead as part of a 14-1 run .

Anunoby drilled a three-pointer as time expired to put the Knicks up 81-79 at the end of the third quarter .

End of 3rd Quarter: Knicks 81, Hawks 79. 

Towns finished the third quarter with 14 points on near-perfect shooting, single-handedly keeping the Knicks afloat when the offense went cold .

Read next: How Karl-Anthony Towns has revitalized the Knicks' offense in 2026

Fourth Quarter: Brunson’s Clutch Gene Takes Over

The Back-and-Forth Battle

The fourth quarter was a heavyweight fight. Every punch was answered.

Atlanta opened the final frame on a 7-2 run to reclaim the lead. But New York fought back, tying the game at 90-90 on Robinson's multiple offensive rebounds and eventual tip-in midway through the quarter .

Then Alexander-Walker delivered his best shots of the night.

With the Hawks clinging to a 95-100 lead with three minutes remaining, Alexander-Walker made a step-back jumper and then two straight acrobatic three-pointers to give him 36 points on the night and the Hawks a 100-95 lead .

State Farm Arena was deafening. The Hawks' 13-game home winning streak seemed destined to continue.

Brunson Flips the Switch

Then Jalen Brunson did what Jalen Brunson does.

The Knicks' All-Star point guard scored 10 points in 90 seconds to give New York a 102-100 lead . Every shot was tougher than the last – a step-back three, a driving layup through contact, a mid-range dagger over a defender's outstretched hand.

CJ McCollum tied the game on a floating jumper with under 30 seconds remaining. But Brunson had the last word.

The Final Sequence

With the game tied at 105-105, Brunson isolated McCollum at the top of the key. He crossed over, stepped back, and rattled in a foul-line jumper over McCollum's outstretched arm.

Knicks 107, Hawks 105. 1.2 seconds remaining. 

The Hawks immediately fouled Brunson on the inbounds pass. He stepped to the line and calmly sank both free throws.

Knicks 108, Hawks 105. 1.2 seconds left.

The Buzzer-Beater That Wasn't

What happened next will be talked about in Atlanta for years.

McCollum caught the inbounds pass near the free-throw line, took two dribbles toward half court, and launched a shot from just inside the logo. The ball arced high, bounced off the backboard, and fell through the net.

State Farm Arena erupted. Hawks players celebrated. Fans hugged strangers.

Then the officials huddled.

Replays from multiple angles showed the ball was still in McCollum's hands as the red lights illuminated the backboard . The shot was no good. Game over .

Final Score: Knicks 108, Hawks 105.

Brunson scored 17 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter alone , finishing 11-of-26 from the field with 13 assists .

Related: NBA's top clutch performers 2026: Who rises when the game matters most

Sportsphere24 Player Grades

New York Knicks (51-28)

Atlanta Hawks (45-34)

Advanced Stats & Key Numbers

The 12-0 Run That Changed the First Half

The Hawks' 12-0 run in the second quarter was the difference-maker in the first half. Alexander-Walker, Daniels, and Johnson combined for 10 of those 12 points, flipping a 43-36 deficit into a 48-43 lead .

The 14-1 Run That Won the Game

The Knicks' 14-1 run in the third quarter completely swung the momentum. Towns scored 10 of those 14 points, and Anunoby capped it with a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give New York the lead heading into the fourth .

Fourth Quarter Clutch Stats

Brunson's 17-point fourth quarter was his highest-scoring final frame of the season .

Turnover Battle

The Knicks cleaned up their ball security in the second half, committing just 3 turnovers after the break .

See also: Eastern Conference playoff standings 2026: Every team's path to the Finals

Historical Context: A Streak Snapped, A Milestone Reached

Hawks' 13-Game Home Winning Streak Ends

The Atlanta Hawks entered Monday night having not lost at State Farm Arena since early February . The 13-game home winning streak was:

• The longest active home winning streak in the Eastern Conference

• The 2nd longest in franchise history (behind a 15-game streak in 2014-15)

• The longest since the 2021-22 season

The loss dropped the Hawks to 45-34 on the season .

Knickes' 51st Win

With the victory, the New York Knicks improved to 51-28 , surpassing their 50-win total from the 2024-25 season .

The Knicks have now won 3 straight games and are positioning themselves for a deep playoff run .

Quotes from the Locker Room

Jalen Brunson on his fourth-quarter takeover (via SNY):

"I just stay ready. My guys trust me. Coach trusts me. When the game is on the line, I want the ball in my hands. That's what I've worked for my whole life." 

Nickeil Alexander-Walker on the heartbreaking finish (via AP):

"I thought I had the game of my life. We all did. That shot... it looked good. But the refs made the call. We'll bounce back." 

Knicks coach Mike Brown on the final sequence:

*"We never panicked. Even when they went up 5 with three minutes left, our guys stayed calm. Jalen took over. That's what All-Stars do."* 

Injury Updates

New York Knicks

The Knicks are remarkably healthy heading into the final stretch of the regular season.

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks signed veteran center Tony Bradley earlier in the day, and he played his first minutes for Atlanta on Monday night .

Related: NBA injury tracker 2026: Every team's IL list updated daily

What's Next for Both Teams

New York Knicks (51-28)

The Knicks return to Madison Square Garden for their final three games of the regular season, starting with a massive showdown against the defending champions.

Playoff mandate: The Knicks are currently the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. A strong finish could push them to No. 2 if the Celtics stumble.

Sportsphere24 Prediction vs. Celtics: Brunson vs. Tatum in a potential playoff preview. Knicks by 4.

Atlanta Hawks (45-34)

The Hawks hit the road for a tough back-to-back before returning home to close the season.

Playoff mandate: The Hawks are currently the No. 7 seed , firmly in the Play-In Tournament picture. They need wins to secure a favorable position.

Sportsphere24 Prediction at Cleveland: The Cavaliers are tough at home, but Alexander-Walker stays hot. Hawks by 2 in a close one.

Up next: Knicks vs. Celtics: Playoff preview as Eastern Conference powers collide

Also on Sportsphere24: Hawks vs. Cavaliers: Live updates, score, and highlights

Final Thoughts

Monday night's overtime-thriller-that-wasn't-quite-overtime was a microcosm of two teams headed in opposite directions.

The New York Knicks (51-28) have the look of a legitimate Eastern Conference contender. Jalen Brunson is playing like an MVP candidate. Karl-Anthony Towns has seamlessly integrated into the offense. The supporting cast – Anunoby, Bridges, Robinson – provides elite defense and complementary scoring. When the game was on the line, New York's best player simply took over. That's what contenders do.

The Atlanta Hawks (45-34) are dangerous but flawed. Nickeil Alexander-Walker announced himself as a legitimate playoff weapon with a career-high 36 points. Jalen Johnson recorded his 48th double-double of the season. But the Hawks lost a game they should have won at home, and their 13-game home winning streak is over. The Play-In Tournament awaits, and Atlanta will need to find consistency if they want to make noise in the postseason.

Can the Knicks catch the Celtics for the No. 2 seed? Will the Hawks bounce back in Cleveland and avoid falling into the No. 8 spot?

Check back to Sportsphere24 Updates for complete coverage of both teams' playoff pushes.