Hawks offense struggles in Game 1 loss to Knicks

NEW YORK -- The Hawks went on an 11-0 run and cracked the door open to pull within 106-98 late in the fourth quarter, but they couldn’t kick it open, falling to the Knicks 113-102 in Game 1 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The Hawks looked ready for playoff basketball, keeping the game within two points at the half. But they couldn’t hit a shot in the third quarter, resorting to “Hack-A-Mitch,” where they intentionally fouled Knicks backup center Mitchell Robinson.

It put the Knicks in the bonus with 5:44 to play in the third quarter.

Quick stats: CJ McCollum had 26 points. Jalen Johnson had 23 points and six rebounds. Onyeka Okongwu had 19 points and seven rebounds.

Knicks’ Jalen Brunson had 28 points after putting up 19 points in the first quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns had 25 points and eight rebounds.

Turning point

Neither team shot the ball well in the third quarter, but the Knicks put the clamps on the Hawks’ offense. The Hawks could not buy a bucket despite firmly winning the possession battle. The Knicks held the Hawks to 19 points.

But the Knicks blew the game open in the opening minutes of the fourth, all with Brunson on the bench. Miles McBride hit a pair of 3s, then OG Anunoby hit a jumper from 11 feet, before Towns made a 3 and got a 3-point play.

The Knicks went up 100-87.

Highlight play

The Hawks refused to go away in the first half of Saturday’s matchup. After fighting their way back from an 11-point deficit early in the second quarter, the Hawks ended the half trailing 57-55 after a buzzer-beating 3 from Okongwu.

With eight seconds to play in the first half, Johnson inbounded the ball to Daniels at halfcourt. Daniels got the ball back to Johnson, who drove to the paint. Johnson took three defenders with him, and Daniels set a screen on Anunoby. It freed up Okongwu for a shot from the right wing.

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