Jalen Brunson scores 28 points as Knicks defeat Hawks in Game 1.

NEW YORK — The opportunity was set for Jalen Brunson to enhance his collection of achievements, potentially marking his 10th 40-point playoff game on the four-year anniversary of his initial milestone.

A second half in which he went 0-for-7 interrupted that possibility, but he contributed sufficiently in the early stages to assist the New York Knicks in taking the lead in Game 1 of their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks, securing a 113-102 victory at Madison Square Garden.

Brunson did surpass the 20-point threshold for the 38th time while wearing a Knicks jersey, scoring 22 of his game-high 28 points before halftime. He made his first six attempts in front of a lively crowd that is hopeful this marks the beginning of a lengthy journey to the NBA Finals.

Despite his difficulties in the final 24 minutes, the Knicks’ depth allowed them to establish a 19-point advantage in the second half.

“It was a hard-fought win. It was physical,” Brunson stated. “It was a grind-it-out game.”

Brunson was unintentionally kicked in the groin by Hawks guard C.J. McCollum during a jump shot in the third quarter, leading to a technical foul.

Karl-Anthony Towns, who came alive in the second half to finish with 25 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, was elbowed in the head while going for a rebound by Hawks forward Jonathan Kuminga. Knicks backup center Mitchell Robinson also experienced a groin hit from Jalen Johnson during a drive.

Thus, Brunson’s remarks were not merely obvious observations.

Neither his shooting struggles nor the kick hindered his effectiveness in the second half, as he facilitated plays and competed defensively. Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, a contender for the NBA’s Most Improved Player, averaged nearly 21 points per game this season and shot approximately 40 percent from beyond the arc. However, the Knicks’ relentless perimeter defense kept him contained, resulting in a 6-for-17 shooting performance and 17 points.

“It’s really important, you never know what’s going to happen,” Brunson remarked. “There are going to be highs and lows throughout a season, highs and lows within a game, and being able to push through and still find a way to make an impact is crucial for us, especially at this stage of the season.”

This was the moment when Brunson first began to gain recognition in Dallas, playing behind Luka Doncic. With Doncic sidelined due to injury, Brunson scored 41 points in Game 2 of Dallas’ first-round series against the Utah Jazz in 2022. The coach of that Jazz team was the current Hawks coach, Quin Snyder.

“Luka was out, and that created an opportunity where there was a need, and he was ready for that because of how good of a player he was,” Snyder stated before Game 1. “It was in some ways foreshadowing; you could sense it. You knew when he was executing some of the things he was doing in that series, it was evident.”

Brunson excelled in those games back then with his scoring, and while that remains his primary asset, he has taken on more of a facilitating role in recent weeks. He is averaging nearly nine assists since March 1, marking a career-best, 19-game stretch.

Alongside Towns, OG Anunoby stepped up in Game 1, contributing 19 points, while Josh Hart added 11 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks. New York coach Mike Brown has emphasized sacrifice throughout the season, and for one night, his players could witness the long-term advantages of stepping into the limelight when necessary.

“We have capable players,” Brown stated. “We believe this team is deep, and anyone can get going at any moment. For us, it’s about sacrifice and not being concerned with shots or minutes or anything. [Jalen] was effective defensively and did well commanding a double team. It’s something we will encounter throughout the playoffs, and we must ensure we remain focused on it.”

Towns was the beneficiary, scoring 19 points after halftime. The discussion of his and Brunson’s chemistry has been a daily topic since Towns joined before last year’s training camp, and while it hasn’t evolved into the unstoppable force it was anticipated to be, it continues to develop.

“The longer we are on the court together, the better our chemistry becomes,” Brunson noted. “We’ve matured as teammates, we’ve grown as friends, and it has contributed to our performance.”