Knicks and Hawks tie series 2-2 at MSG

The basic correction here is important: New York and Atlanta were not tied 2-2 after Game 5. The Knicks won Game 5, 126-97, at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, April 28, and took a 3-2 lead in the first-round series. Jalen Brunson had 39 points, and New York was in control for most of the night. Game 6 shifts to Atlanta on Thursday, April 30, with the Knicks trying to close it out. (espn.com) ### What actually happened in Game 5? New York came out like a team that understood the swing point of the series. The Knicks put up 35 points in the first quarter, led 64-48 at halftime, and never let the Hawks turn it into the kind of late-possession grind your prompt describes. By the fourth quarter, this was not a coin-flip game — it was a rout. (espn.com) ### Why does the score matter so much? Because 126-97 tells you this was not one of those “a few rebounds and turnovers decided it” playoff games. New York didn’t just edge ahead late. The Knicks created separation early and kept widening it. That changes the feel of the series. A 3-2 lead after a blowout is(espn.com)team found answers, not just luck. (espn.com) ### Who drove it for New York? Brunson was the headline. He scored 39 and, turns out, nearly added another 40-point playoff game to his franchise résumé. But the bigger point is that New York’s stars didn’t need a miracle workload just to survive. The Knicks had enough structure around Brunson to keep pressure on Atlanta all night instead of living possession to possession. (espn.com) ### Was the series ever 2-2? Yes — but after Game 4, not Game 5. New York tied the series on Saturday, April 25, when Karl-Anthony Towns posted a 20-point, 10-rebound, 10-assist triple-double in a 114-98 win in Atlanta. That’s the point where the matchup reset. Game 5 was the follow-through, with the Knicks turning a tied series into a 3-2 edge. (nba.com) ### Why is Madison Square Garden part of the story? Because home court finally looked like a real weapon again. The Knicks were 30-10 at home in the regular season, and Game 5 looked like that version of the team — organized, fast-starting, and much more comfortable dictating pace. In a series that had already swung back an(nba.com). (espn.com) ### What does this mean for Atlanta? The Hawks are now in the hard version of the series. They no longer just need to protect home court or steal momentum. They need to win Game 6 to survive, then come back to New York for a Game 7 if they do. That is a much steeper climb than the “series tied 2-2” framing suggests. (espn.com) ### So what should readers take away? The real update is simple: the Knicks seized control. If you’re trying to understand the series, start with that correction. This is not a deadlocked matchup after Game 5. It’s New York up 3-2, with Brunson rolling and Atlanta facing elimination. (espn.com)