Knicks extend hot stretch, sneak past free-falling Hawks

OG Anunoby scored 15 points and hit four free throws in the final 30 seconds to help the visiting New York Knicks hang on for a 128-125 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.

Atlanta erased a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit and took the lead on a 3-pointer by Onyeka Okongwu with 2:01 remaining. After a pair of lead changes, Anunoby hit two free throws with 29.6 seconds left and added two more with 7.3 seconds remaining. Atlanta's Nickeil Alexander-Walker missed a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer.

New York has won 13 of its last 16 and evened its road record at 7-7. Atlanta has lost six in a row and 10 of its last 12. The Hawks dropped to 5-11 at home.

New York was carried by Karl-Anthony Towns, who had 36 points and 16 rebounds for his 21st double-double, and Jalen Brunson, who scored 34. Towns matched his career high with 17 free throws in 18 tries.

Okongwu finished with 31 points and 14 rebounds before fouling out with 30 seconds left. Alexander-Walker scored 25 and Jalen Johnson had 20 points, nine rebounds and 12 assists for his 13th straight double-double.

Trae Young, playing on consecutive nights for the first time since returning from an MCL strain, had only two points at the half and finished with nine points and 10 assists.

Brunson came out hot, making 5 of 8 from the field to help the Knicks take a 33-27 lead at the end of the first period.

The Hawks started the second quarter with six straight points to knot the game at 33-all, only to have the Knicks regain their footing and methodically start to build a lead. Johnson left with his third foul at 7:19 and the Knicks built a 14-point advantage on a Brunson driving floater at 1:09. New York led 68-55 at intermission.

New York expanded its lead to 85-67 at 6:55 but the Hawks got within six on Young's three-point play at 1:59. New York led 98-89 after the third quarter.

--Field Level Media