Jalen Brunson breaks free as Knicks take away Hawks' oxygen

Through the first four games of their NBA playoff series, the Atlanta Hawks successfully limited Jalen Brunson by deploying Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to contain him, holding him to 43% shooting inside the arc with 14 turnovers across 21 assists. The defensive pressure forced the Knicks to adjust their offense in Game 4, leaning on Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby instead. Heading into Game 5 on April 29, 2026, Hawks coach Quin Snyder acknowledged Brunson's versatility as a scorer, suggesting the defensive strategy may be breaking down.