The 2026 NBA Playoffs are barely a game old, and the drama is already in full swing. Game 1 between the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden had it all, a dominant Jalen Brunson performance, a second-quarter scare, and one moment that stopped the game cold and got everyone talking.
McCollum Catches Brunson in the Worst Way Possible
Right at the start of the third quarter, Hawks guard CJ McCollum went up for a jump shot with Knicks star Jalen Brunson closing out on him. As McCollum rose and released, his leg kicked out and connected directly with Brunson’s groin area.
Brunson immediately dropped to the floor in visible pain. Referees stopped play and reviewed the contact for a hostile act. After the review, McCollum was assessed a technical foul.
McCollum Claps Back: “He Thought We Were at a Broadway Show”
McCollum wasted no time making his feelings known after the game. He said:
“I shot a jumper and Jalen [Brunson] thought we were at a Broadway show. He acted it out until they reviewed it. It’s a normal jump shot, nothing there. I look forward to getting my $2,500 back.”
Brunson Powered Through and Delivered for the Knicks Anyway
Whatever the pain, Brunson did not let it slow him down where it mattered most, on the scoreboard. The Knicks’ All-Star point guard had already put up a historic first quarter, scoring 19 points in the opening period, the most by any Knicks player in a single quarter during the playoff play-by-play era, according to ESPN Insights.
He finished the night with 28 points and 7 assists, guiding New York to a commanding 113-102 Game 1 victory.
The groin shot came at a pivotal moment, but Brunson stayed in the game, shook off the discomfort, and helped the Knicks protect their lead when it mattered.
Game 2 tips off Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, and if McCollum and Brunson share the court again, expect every jump shot to be watched very, very closely.
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