McCollum admits Knicks’ physical edge in Game 4 loss

CJ McCollum offered no excuses after Atlanta’s 114‑98 defeat to the New York Knicks in Game 4, stressing that the hosts imposed their physicality from the opening minutes. The guard said New York “played harder” and immediately dictated the tone with aggressive defence that pushed the Hawks out of rhythm. Turnovers were, in his view, the decisive issue: Atlanta committed twelve in the first half alone, allowing the Knicks to build momentum and confidence.

By halftime the gap had ballooned to twenty‑four points, fuelled by Karl‑Anthony Towns’ triple‑double and Jalen Brunson’s steady scoring. McCollum acknowledged that Atlanta lost every battle for loose balls and failed to claim any of the 50‑50 plays that could have shifted the flow. Without defensive stops, transition opportunities vanished, leaving the Hawks stuck in a half‑court struggle they could not control. Despite the setback tying the series at 2‑2, McCollum maintained perspective as attention turns to Game 5 at Madison Square Garden.