ATLANTA — All eyes were on the starting lineup before the game, an easy sign for just how desperate times were for the Knicks Saturday night. And Mike Brown kept it a secret until a half hour before game time, opting to stay with the same five that the Knicks have leaned on for two years now.
But it wasn’t who was on the floor as much as how the Knicks would handle this test, their backs to the wall. And they responded, playing with a fire that they had yet to show in the postseason to dominate a 114-98 win over the Atlanta Hawks, tying the opening round playoff series at two games each and taking the home court advantage back as the series heads to Madison Square Garden Tuesday for Game 5.
Brown was under fire. Mikal Bridges was lost. And the Knicks entire franchise seemed to have its back to the wall. And maybe the first two parts have not been resolved, but the Knicks lifted themselves out of the hole thanks to a performance that resonated up and down the roster.
They needed someone to lift them and while it has been Jalen Brunson who has put the team on his shoulders so many times, with the Atlanta hawks defense intent on stopping or at least slowing him, someone else would have to step forward.
What the Knicks have tried to tell anyone who will listen is that it’s all of them and any of them. And on this night, with Brunson having to fight for every one of his 19 points, when the Knicks desperately needed it, it was. Karl-Anthony Towns delivered the sort of star turn that he has shown throughout his career, posting his first career playoff triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Josh Hart continued his defensive work, shutting down whatever Atlanta player gets a hot hand and scored nine points in the second quarter as the Knicks pulled away. OG Anunoby delivered the sort of two-way performance the team has needed with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
And off the bench Jordan Clarkson and Deuce McBride each played more minutes than Bridges, so that lineup question may not be settled. Bridges played 15:53 in the first half, but less than four minutes in the third quarter before getting pulled and not getting in again.
But the Knicks seemed to have solved the troubles that the Hawks had given them to this point. Much of the offense operated through Towns and the defense attacked with a physical edge,
Much of the focus before the game — really since Game 3 ended Thursday night — was on the lineup and if Brown would stick with Bridges in the starting lineup with the Knicks’ backs against the wall in the series and Bridges not only going scoreless with four turnovers in 20 minutes in that game, but seeming as if he was lost. In the second half of Game 3 Brown had a quick hook, playing Bridges for just four minutes while Deuce McBride took the bulk of the time and delivered key three-point field goals as the Knicks overcame an 18-point deficit, coming all the way back to take the lead in the final minute before falling short in the end.
Friday, Brown said his lineup would be a game time decision and even before the game when he held his pregame press conference he would not disclose the choice.
“I’ve said it before, everything that I do, especially with the starters, I’m not gonna come out ahead of time and say anything,” Brown said. “But at the end of the day, whatever decision is made is my decision
“It’s always what I feel like end of the day what’s best for our group. Everything I do it’s about what’s best for our group.”
While Brown didn’t pull the trigger on a lineup change, he did change his rotation timing. With 4:21 to play in the first quarter he pulled four starters and left just Hart on the floor — earlier than he’d gone with both Brunson and Towns on the bench at the same time all series. But he did it timed to also match up with the Hawks pulling starters and when Atlanta’s Quin Snyder quickly inserted two of his starters back in the lineup, Anunoby and Brunson were rushed back into the game.
Bridges offense wasn’t an issue this time, hitting his first three shots — all layups — and the Knicks mounted a balanced attack as the Hawks worked as they have all series to disrupt Brunson. In the half Brunson had 10 points, but shot just 4-for-11 and turned the ball over five times (a number he’d reach just five times in the regular season for an entire game).
The Knicks still managed to take a 58-44 lead into the break thanks to the play of Hart, who had nine points in the second quarter, but was a disruptor defensively — shutting down McCollum as well as Anunoby, who had 12 points and six rebounds, and Towns, who had 10 points and four assists, not attempting a three-pointer as he repeatedly tried to muscle his way to the rim.
Just 32 seconds into the half Brunson was on the floor and as the Hawks tried to tie him up, Daniel dove across his legs, landing on his left ankle. Less than a minute later, Brunson exited and headed straight to the locker room. The Knicks’ 14-point halftime lead had already been trimmed to nine.
But Jose Alvarado entered and with a three-pointer and a trademark backcourt steal leading to an Anunoby layup, the Knicks were able to stretch the lead to 19 when Brunson returned to the game with 5:38 left in the third quarter.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.