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The Atlanta Hawks were about half a second away from tying the New York Knicks and forcing overtime on Monday night.
The Hawks came in with the ball under the basket on the other side of the court. The ball came to CJ McCollum, who took two dribbles and threw up a prayer near half court. The ball rolled off the backboard and into the basket as the buzzer sounded.
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Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum attempts a half-court shot that would have tied the game but expired as time expired against the New York Knicks at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on April 6, 2026. (Dale Zanine/Imagn Images)
Fans at State Farm Arena went wild when it appeared McCollum had tied the game. But the refs reviewed the play and it was determined that the veteran guard got the ball out of his hands a little too late.
New York won the game, 108-105.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown explained why he didn’t instruct the team to foul at the end rather than risk a possible matchup scenario.
“It’s difficult. If he misses it, obviously, it’s a long shot. But if you foul him on the rebound or you foul him when he turns to grab it now, they get three free throws,” he said, via the New York Post . “It’s something we’ve talked about before — it’s still a toss-up situation. … The whole thing was, worst case scenario, they’ll tie it and we’ll go to overtime. Lesson learned on a few possessions down the stretch.”
Knicks star Jalen Brunson, who made two free throws to give the team a three-point lead with one second to play, led the team with 30 points and 13 assists. Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts during the second half of an NBA game against the Atlanta Hawks in Atlanta on April 6, 2026. (Colin Hubbard/AP)
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It was Atlanta’s first home loss since early February, ending the team’s 13-game home winning streak.
Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker had 36 points in the loss. Jalen Johnson added 21 points and 11 rebounds for his 48th double-double of the season.
New York and Atlanta could potentially meet in the postseason as they jockey for seeding ahead of the playoffs. The Knicks are 51-28 and currently third in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks fell to 45-34 and are currently in fifth place in the East.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns reacts during the first half of an NBA game against the Atlanta Hawks in Atlanta on April 6, 2026. (Colin Hubbard/AP)
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Atlanta is just 1.5 games behind the Toronto Raptors for their spot.
