Anunoby’s late game efforts secure victory as Knicks hold off Hawks’ resurgence

Knicks Edge Out Hawks in Tight Finish

ATLANTA — Karl-Anthony Towns kicked things off for the Knicks, while OG Anunoby wrapped it up. That’s how it went down as New York held on for a nail-biting 128-125 win against the struggling Hawks.

After building an 18-point lead, the Knicks found themselves in a tight spot. Anunoby stepped up in the clutch, making a crucial putback on a 1-and-1 with just 30 seconds left, followed by a steal from Trae Young on the next possession.

Despite having a rough game overall, Anunoby tallied four points, a steal, and two rebounds in those final crucial moments. As Nickell Alexander-Walker’s potential game-tying three-pointer clanged off the rim at the buzzer, the Knicks breathed a sigh of relief.

By the end of the night, Towns took the spotlight, finishing with an impressive 36 points and 16 rebounds, clearly taking charge against Atlanta’s smaller lineup.

Thanks to his robust play style, Towns made 17 of 18 free throws, celebrating from the foul line throughout the game. He complemented his rebounding with three three-pointers, stepping up especially since Jalen Brunson wasn’t quite at his usual All-NBA level.

Brunson managed to score 34 points, but he struggled with his shooting, taking 29 attempts and committing a costly turnover late in the game.

The Hawks (15-18) tried to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter but ultimately fell short for the sixth consecutive game, missing Kristaps Porzingis. The former Knick is sidelined due to an illness linked to a previous health scare that affected his heart rate.

Atlanta, even with Porzingis out, is feeling disheartened and is reportedly considering potential trades, including looking at Dallas’ Anthony Davis.

Meanwhile, the Knicks are still leading the Eastern Conference with a solid 22-9 record, having won eight of their last ten games.

They’re also contending with injuries and shifting lineups. With Josh Hart and Miles McBride nursing ankle sprains, Coach Mike Brown made some intriguing changes. Rookie Mohamed Diawara took Hart’s place for his second start this season, although Hart is expected to miss a couple more games.

Even more unexpectedly, Brown turned to Kevin McCuller Jr., who had seen limited action this season, but provided a spark right off the bench. McCuller scored six points and grabbed six rebounds in the first half, contributing to New York’s 13-point lead at halftime and drawing favorable comparisons to Hart.

So, while Hart’s absence was notable, McCullough certainly stepped into the spotlight. His performance included 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting and eight rebounds, four of which came on the offensive end, plus a hustle play diving for a loose ball near the bench.