Game one is in the past, and CJ McCollum and the Hawks can't do anything but put it behind them. Every loss stings, especially in the postseason, but with every setback comes a valuable lesson. For Atlanta's veteran guard, there was plenty to like despite the road loss.
In a game where offense didn't excel naturally, they needed one of their high-volume contributors to take over and dictate the pace themselves. For McCollum, he was able to do that and more, nearly leading his team to an unprecedented come-from-behind victory. He didn't do it quietly, either.
Veterans understand the antics aren't needed in a postseason setting
While McCollum was busy carving up New York's defense, Jalen Brunson used his reactiveness to his advantage. McCollum went up in a natural shooting motion for a mid-range jumper, and Brunson was inadvertently kicked in the groin area in the process. Regardless of how intense the pain actually was, Brunson made sure there was no doubt in the whistle being blown.
His over-the-top reaction resulted in a technical foul for McCollum, to which he made sure to be vocal against postgame.
"I shot a jumper and Jalen [Brunson] thought we were at a broadway show," McCollum noted. "He acted it out until they reviewed it. It's a normal jump shot, nothing there. I look forward to getting my $2,500 back."
When I asked CJ McCollum about what happened with the tech he received while Jalen Brunson was guarding him:
— JJ (@JameelahJNBA) April 19, 2026
“I shot a jumper, Jalen thought we were at a Broadway show. He acted it out until they reviewed it. It’s a normal jumpshot…” pic.twitter.com/2qDBaCn8md
Knicks fans, of course, aren't taking what McCollum said lightly. Similar to how they responded to Trae Young's dominance in their 2021 series, they're now likely going to shift their focus onto the 13-year veteran.
Not many players are built for the moment, but his invaluable experience surviving the immensely tough Western Conference Playoffs for the bulk of his career is going to continue working wonders on this younger Hawks squad.
The Hawks will be in good shape as long as McCollum keeps this up
His stellar play in Game One didn't result in a win, but taking down the home team in the first game of the postseason is a near-impossible task. Losses don't always have encouraging takeaways, either, but this one was different.
The matchup was even for three quarters until New York began to pull away. They fed off of the presence of their home crowd, which was as spectacular as always. When games are this even, though, the first result is never consistent. This series is anyone's for the taking.
McCollum led the Hawks in scoring on Saturday night, recording 26 points, four rebounds and four threes on an efficient 11/20 from the field. If they want any chance at stealing Game Two, they'll need a similarly dominant performance from their leader before they head back home.
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