Hawks edge Knicks 109-108, take 2-1 series lead

The Atlanta Hawks held off the New York Knicks 109-108 on Thursday, April 23, 2026, at State Farm Arena, with Jalen Johnson leading Atlanta with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists in a pivotal Game 3 result. The one-point win gave the Hawks a 2-1 lead in the first-round series.

Quarter-by-quarter breakdown

First Quarter: Atlanta set the tone early, outscoring New York 33-21 in the opening period. The Hawks found a rhythm from the perimeter and moved the ball well enough to build a double-digit cushion, while the Knicks struggled to match that efficiency in the half court.

Second Quarter: New York responded with a 29-25 second quarter to trim the deficit before halftime. OG Anunoby helped spark the push, and the Knicks did enough offensively to keep the game within reach after Atlanta’s fast start.

Third Quarter: Both teams played even in the third, finishing the quarter at 30-30. Atlanta maintained control of the scoreboard, but New York continued to pressure the Hawks with second-chance opportunities and steady interior production from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Fourth Quarter: The Knicks made a late push by winning the final quarter 28-21, nearly completing the comeback. Atlanta’s early-game advantage proved just enough, as the Hawks protected the lead in the closing moments and came away with the one-point victory.

Key performers

Atlanta Hawks:
Jalen Johnson delivered the game’s top all-around line for Atlanta with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. Dyson Daniels added strong work on the glass with 13 rebounds, helping the Hawks stay competitive in a tight rebounding battle. As a team, Atlanta shot 45.3 percent from the field and 39.4 percent from three-point range.

New York Knicks:
OG Anunoby led all scorers with 29 points for New York. Karl-Anthony Towns posted 21 points, 17 rebounds, and three blocks, giving the Knicks a major presence inside, while Josh Hart led the team with six assists. New York finished with 46 rebounds and attempted 93 field goals, but shot just 28.6 percent from beyond the arc.

NerdSports Stat: Atlanta won by one point despite being outshot in field-goal attempts by seven and outrebounded 46-45, with the difference largely coming from the Hawks’ 13 made threes to New York’s 10.

Game analysis

This game turned on Atlanta’s first-quarter separation and its efficiency from long range. The Hawks did not dominate the possession battle, but they made better use of their opportunities, shooting 39.4 percent from three compared with New York’s 28.6 percent. In a game decided by a single point, that gap was critical.

Johnson’s versatility also stood out. His scoring, rebounding, and playmaking gave Atlanta balance throughout the night, and his eight assists helped keep the offense organized when New York made its late push. The Hawks also matched the Knicks with 19 assists, showing that neither side had a major edge in ball movement.

For New York, the comeback effort was real, especially after the slow first quarter. Anunoby’s 29 points and Towns’ work on the glass gave the Knicks a chance deep into the fourth, but the early deficit left little margin for error. The Knicks also hit 10 of 35 from three-point range, and that lower perimeter efficiency ultimately proved costly.

Closing context

With the win, Atlanta now leads the Eastern Conference first-round series 2-1. The Hawks improved their postseason position by protecting home court, while the Knicks will look to regroup in Game 4 after falling just short in a game that tightened considerably late. Atlanta’s regular-season record remains 46-36, and New York remains 53-29, but the immediate focus is now on the Hawks’ chance to extend their series edge.

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