CJ McCollum is entering uncharted territory. Based off of his performances in Games One and Two in New York, he's quickly becoming the city's new villain. They always have one around this time of year, but not many expected it to be the veteran guard in his 13th NBA season.
What he's doing in the box score is remarkable, but it comes as no coincidence. It's been less about his uptick in volume and more about who the Knicks are sending out to stabilize his efforts. There is no world where Jalen Brunson can string together consistent defensive stops on a guard as offensively-skilled as McCollum, but that hasn't stopped Knicks Head Coach Mike Brown from trying it.
CJ has taken this assignment personally and it's shown in his output
Why wouldn't he? Brunson has rightfully earned his tag as a defensive liability, and McCollum is a seasoned veteran capable of producing scoring outbursts at any given point. He's done exactly that in each of Atlanta's first two postseason games.
With 26 points in the Game One loss, he perfected his attack heading into Game Two. He put up 32 points and six assists, helping his team secure a much-needed road victory. His clutch buckets threw New York's reliable defensive scheme way off and they had no counter.
CJ just put Jalen Brunson in a blender and the Hawks now have the lead.
— Zach Langley (@ZachLangleyNBA) April 21, 2026
Possession after possession, McCollum was seeking out Brunson, attacking him whenever he could. Atlanta led early in the first half of Monday night's game, but they didn't recapture the lead until late in the fourth quarter, when McCollum put Brunson on skates and finished at the rim.
22 of the 58 points McCollum's scored this series have been directly on Brunson. As long as he's on the court, he's going to find him and capitalize off of his presence. He's doing so efficiently, as well, knocking down nine of the 12 shot attempts he's taken with that specific assignment.
If the Knicks don't adjust, this series could soon get out of hand
Fans in New York can be short-tempered, and they put it on full display in their recent loss to the Hawks. Frustration is growing with Mike Brown's inability to adapt in the postseason, as well as his commitment to experimenting with lineups in pivotal moments.
A lot of his poor decision-making has led to unjustifiable losses for them this season, and if he keeps trying to throw his lead guard on CJ McCollum, the same results will follow.
Never test a veteran. They'll always make their opponent pay.
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