NBA Playoffs: Brunson Explodes As Knicks Thump Hawks; Embiid Keeps 76ers Alive

Last Updated:April 29, 2026, 09:00 IST

The Knicks take the slender 3-2 lead over the Hawks, while 76ers will look to even the odds back home, as both teams head to their respective Game 6s next.

Jalen Brunson delivered when it mattered most, scoring 39 points to power the New York Knicks to a dominant 126-97 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.

The victory gives New York a 3-2 lead in their first-round series — and a chance to close it out in Game 6 in Atlanta.

Brunson fell just short of another 40-point playoff outing, a mark he’s already hit eight times with the Knicks, but his late burst ensured there would be no comeback.

After a quiet start to the series by his standards, he erupted for 17 points in the fourth quarter to shut the door.

Support came from across the lineup. OG Anunoby added 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 16 points, 14 rebounds and six assists.

Atlanta, who had taken a 2-1 lead with back-to-back one-point wins in Games 2 and 3, have struggled to keep up since.

Jalen Johnson led them with 18 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, while Dyson Daniels added 17.  But CJ McCollum was limited to just six points.

The Hawks now face a must-win Game 6 at home to force a deciding Game 7 in New York.

Embiid Goes Berserk Against Celtics

In the East’s other marquee clash, Joel Embiid stepped up to keep the Philadelphia 76ers alive.

Embiid scored 33 points and dished out eight assists as Philadelphia beat the Boston Celtics 113-97, cutting the series deficit to 3-2.

Playing just his second game back after an emergency appendectomy earlier in April, Embiid took over in the second half, leading a decisive push that the Celtics couldn’t match.

Tyrese Maxey added 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Paul George chipped in with 16 points and nine boards.

Boston had its moments early. Jayson Tatum posted 24 points and 16 rebounds, and Jaylen Brown added 22. But a fourth-quarter collapse, where they were outscored 28-11, proved costly.

It was Boston’s lowest-scoring quarter of the season, and it came with a chance to close out the series.

Game 6 heads back to Philadelphia, with the Sixers looking to an upset.

(with agency inputs)

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