The New York Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night, then needed a replay review to make sure a half-court heave would not send the game to overtime. It was the kind of close finish Jalen Brunson and the Knicks had been trying to turn back into a habit.
Karl-Anthony Towns set the tone with 21 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block in 32 minutes, giving New York the balance it needed to close out the Hawks. He shot 9-for-12 from the field, made two of four 3-point attempts and hit one free throw, a stat line that covered nearly every part of the floor.
Towns called the Knicks’ season a rollercoaster, and Monday’s finish fit that description. He said, “Tonight reminded me a little of last year, man. We found a way to get it done.” The Knicks finished last season with an Eastern Conference Finals appearance, and their 2024-25 campaign ended with their deepest playoff run in 25 years.
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That background is why a win like this carried extra weight. The Knicks are trying to improve on last year’s Eastern Conference Finals appearance, and they are doing it under gigantic expectations. Getting back to crunch-time customs is viewed as a positive sign ahead of the playoffs, especially for a team that last year could not be beaten in close games.
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The tension Monday came from how narrow the margin was at the end. New York still won, but only after officials checked whether the final shot crossed the line in time to change the result. The review went the Knicks’ way, leaving them with another late-game escape and a reminder that the standard around this team is no longer just to win, but to handle the pressure when every possession matters.
