Overview
- New York leveled the first-round series 2-2 following Saturday's blowout in Atlanta and now returns to Madison Square Garden for Game 5 on Tuesday.
- Coach Mike Brown leaned into a new look in Game 4 that featured Karl-Anthony Towns as the offensive hub, and Towns delivered a 20-10-10 triple-double.
- Jalen Brunson shifted to more playmaking as Atlanta keyed on him, yet his series efficiency has dipped to 41.6% shooting with turnovers piling up, and he has at times shown ankle discomfort he declines to discuss.
- Players credited a surge of desperation and urgency for the rout, with Miles McBride saying they felt they were playing for their lives and insisting that intensity must rise again at home.
- Knick veterans point to experience as an edge over the younger Hawks, though the team’s habit of slow starts raises the test of sustaining poise and energy from the opening tip.