The Atlanta Hawks pulled off a stunning 107-106 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on April 20, 2026, erasing a 14-point deficit in the final minutes to tie their Eastern Conference first-round series at 1-1. CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 32 points, including the decisive basket with 1.7 seconds remaining, as Atlanta completed one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent playoff history.
The Knicks had built a commanding 106-92 lead with just over three minutes left in regulation, appearing poised to take a 2-0 series advantage. However, the Hawks launched a 15-0 run fueled by aggressive defense and timely shooting, with McCollum scoring 10 of his points during the surge. Jalen Brunson, who had led New York with 28 points in Game 1, finished with 29 points in the losing effort but could not prevent the collapse.
According to ESPN’s game summary, the Hawks outscored the Knicks 28-15 in the fourth quarter alone, transforming what seemed like a certain defeat into a historic victory. The comeback marked the largest fourth-quarter deficit overcome by a visiting team in Madison Square Garden playoff history since at least 2000.
Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 25 points for the Knicks, continuing his strong postseason performance after scoring 19 points in Game 1. Josh Hart added 14 points and 11 rebounds for New York, whereas Dyson Daniels recorded 12 points and 8 assists for Atlanta off the bench.
The victory prevented the Knicks from taking control of the series despite their home-court advantage. New York had entered the playoffs as the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a 53-29 record, while Atlanta qualified as the sixth seed at 46-36. The teams had split their regular-season meetings, each winning two games.
Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday, April 23, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. ET in Atlanta, with Prime Video broadcasting the contest. The series will continue with Game 4 in Atlanta on April 25 before potentially returning to New York for Games 5 and 6 if necessary.
For the Hawks, the win validated their late-season surge that saw them go 22-9 after February 1. For the Knicks, the loss raised questions about their ability to close out games despite possessing one of the league’s most potent offensive duos in Brunson and Towns.
As the series shifts to Atlanta, both teams will seem to make adjustments. New York will necessitate to improve its late-game execution, while Atlanta aims to build on the momentum from their improbable road victory. The winner of this best-of-seven series will advance to face the winner of the Miami Celtics series in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
What a night for basketball at the world’s most famous arena. The Hawks didn’t just win a game—they stole home-court advantage with a performance that will be talked about for years to come.
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