State Game 31 Notes

Towns and Jalen Brunson combined for 70 points to help the Knicks escape with a 128–125 win, but the real story was Kevin McCullar Jr., whose impact and key plays earned my Player Of The Game honors.

The New York Knicks improved to 22–9 on Saturday night, surviving a late push from Atlanta to escape with a 128–125 win over the slumping Hawks. Karl-Anthony Towns delivered pouring in a season-high 36 points with 16 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson added 34 points of his own. Atlanta dropped its sixth straight game, closing a brutal 0–5 homestand and falling to 5–11 at home. Towns was relentless at the line, knocking down 17 of 18 free throws, and the Knicks controlled the interior with a 56–38 rebounding edge. Yet beyond the star power, the real story of the night was Kevin McCullar Jr. and the growing trust Mike Brown is placing in his young, drafted players during meaningful moments.

Player Of The Game: Kevin McCullar Jr

Kevin McCullar Jr. was my Player of the Game, continuing to justify his increased role. In 23.5 minutes, he finished with 13 points, 8 rebounds (4 offensive), 2 assists, and 2 steals, shooting 4/7 from the field and 3/6 from three, while posting a +5 plus-minus. His impact went beyond the box score, showing up in momentum-swinging plays, defensive pressure, and second-chance effort that repeatedly tilted the floor in New York’s favor.

McCullar announced himself early as a connective piece in the offense. At 6:02 of the 1st quarter, he found OG Anunoby for a three to tie the game at 14–14. In the second quarter, he buried a spot-up triple at 4:35 (56–45) off an Anunoby assist, then followed it with another dime to Mikal Bridges at 3:37 (59–49). At 2:12, McCullar sprinted the floor and drilled a transition three to push the lead to 62–52. His third-quarter stretch was decisive: a driving layup at 3:30 (91–82) off a Brunson feed, followed by a catch-and-shoot three at 0:51 (96–85) that capped his strongest run of the night.

Game Notes

Knicks vs Hawks — 1st Quarter

The opening frame set a competitive tone. At 26–22, Clarkson converted an and-one, before Mitchell Robinson scored inside to keep it tight at 28–27. The Knicks closed the quarter strong with a timely three to grab a 31–27 advantage, signaling early control of the pace and glass.

Knicks vs Hawks — 2nd Quarter

Atlanta briefly tied the game at 33–33 behind Okongwu, but New York responded with pace and precision. At 37–41, Clarkson tossed a perfect alley-oop to Mikal Bridges to swing momentum, followed by a Bridges dunk off a slick KAT behind-the-back assist to make it 45–37. At 47–39, Towns drew contact for free throws, OG knocked down a jumper, and Mitchell Robinson cleaned up misses with an offensive tip-in. Kevin McCullar Jr. capped the half with a three at 56–46, finishing the second quarter with 6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, shooting 2–3 from deep and posting a +10.

Knicks vs Hawks — 3rd Quarter

The Knicks came out firing as Mohamed Diawara drilled a three at 71–59, followed by a Towns dunk at 76–63. Despite a brief Hawks run sparked by defensive pressure on Brunson, New York steadied itself with a Brunson catch-and-shoot three at 79–65, an OG block leading to a Bridges dunk at 81–65, and another OG triple at 84–67. Towns controlled the quarter from the line, reaching 20 points and 11 rebounds, while McCullar dominated the hustle areas with four offensive rebounds. He also logged the longest continuous stint seen this season from a Knicks rookie, rewarded with a three at 91–82, an and-one, and a euro-step foul drawn on Trae Young at 93–85. McCullar closed the quarter with another three at 96–85.

Knicks vs Hawks — 4th Quarter

The closing quarter tested everything. The lineup of Kolek, OG, Bridges, McCullar, and Towns opened strong, with OG assisting Towns for 100–91. Atlanta answered with multiple threes, cutting it to 100–94, but Towns stayed aggressive, hitting another three at 109–99 to reach 36 points. The Hawks refused to fold, with Alexander-Walker and Trae Young fueling a late surge that tied the game at 121–121. In the final seconds, OG took over—stripping Trae, drawing fouls, and sealing the game at the line. The Knicks closed it out 128–125, with McCullar finishing the night at 13 points and 8 rebounds in just 23 minutes.

Reasons Why The Knicks Won:

The Knicks hit 15 threes at 34.9 percent and dominated the glass with 55 rebounds, including 19 offensive boards. Trae Young was locked down, finishing 2 of 9 from the field and 0 of 4 from three. The final 30 seconds belonged to OG Anunoby, who grabbed an offensive rebound to tie the game, made free throws for the lead, recorded a steal, converted two more free throws, and secured the final defensive rebound. Kevin McCullar Jr. made winning plays all night with 8 rebounds, 2 steals, and key defensive stops, while covering for Clarkson and Kolek’s combined 2 of 11 shooting with 13 points and efficient three-point shooting.

The youth movement showed up as well: Mohamed Diawara contributed a three, rebounds, assists, blocks, and a +8 in 16 minutes, while McCullar and Kolek earned meaningful rotation minutes. Mitchell Robinson dominated inside with 9 rebounds (4 offensive), 2 steals, 1 block, and a +10 impact. Stars delivered when it mattered as Towns and Brunson combined for 70 points, with Towns posting his 21st double-double and Brunson continuing his historic scoring pace. The Knicks continue to win in different ways, blending star power with trust in their young core. Nights like this only strengthen the belief that something special is building in New York. Thank you for reading another State of the Knicks article, peace and blessings.