Can the Knicks’ relentless defense and gritty stars silence the Hawks and shift the playoff tide?

Can the Knicks' relentless defense and gritty stars silence the Hawks and shift the playoff tide?

“I think for the most part, we understand what they’re capable of,” Jalen Brunson said following the Knicks’ 114-98 win. “They’re a very good team. Very well coached. They do a lot of little things and they’re very detail-oriented. So for us, we just had to up everything we do. I think the way we fought back in Game 3 helped us for this game — we just need to continue to push that forward.”

Because the postseason is equal parts wacky to science, the Knicks had to eventually snap out of it. The Hawks, who somehow held a series lead despite a negative net rating and a number of poor underlying factors, had done just enough to raise a few questions about New York’s internal process. Like the one about Karl Anthony-Town’s infrequent usage and inability to take advantage of wing defenders latching onto him. Or the one about Brunson’s struggles against length, or how the Knicks crumbled when both offensive hubs were off the floor. And not to mention Mikal Bridges’ woes, quiet regrets about the heaven-and-Earth price it cost to acquire him in the first place and the potential prospects of a lineup change.

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