CJ McCollum Rumors

At the end of Game 3, Hart was taken off McCollum and the Knicks were outlasted down the stretch. He wasn’t happy. “I cursed out one of our defensive [coaches] for taking me off him at the end of Game 3,” Hart said. Concerned about a similar move in Game 4, Hart marched into the coaches room at halftime — with the Knicks up by 14 — and preemptively struck. “I said, ‘I’m on him. Don’t take me off him. I’m guarding him,’ ” Hart said. “And that was the challenge I wanted.” The coaching staff obliged. And for the rest of the first-round series — which the Knicks clinched Thursday night in Atlanta — McCollum vanished under Hart’s physical presence.

New York Post

In the last three games — with Hart as the main defender — McCollum averaged 11.3 points on 39.5 percent shooting and 10 percent on 3s, collecting way more turnovers (3.3 per game) than assists (1.3). Broken down further, McCollum, in Games 5 & 6, shot just 2-for-9 with four total points when Hart was the closest defender.

New York Post

Yet I've received no indication to this point that the Hawks have designs on pursuing Antetokounmpo via trade this summer. Sources say that Atlanta is not eager to splurge for major roster additions, preferring to focus on internal improvement and addressing the futures of CJ McCollum and Jonathan Kuminga along with coach Quin Snyder (who has only one season left on his current contract).

marcstein.substack.com

Brad Rowland: CJ McCollum got asked if he talked to Quin and Onsi about his Hawks future. He smiled big and said “The season just ended, my boy.” Added that he hadn’t met with Quin yet but had a “productive conversation” with the front office guys.

x.com

CJ McCollum, PG (free agent): The 34-year-old McCollum is a decade older than the rest of Atlanta’s core but was also key to the Hawks’ two playoff wins. An unrestricted free agent, he likely will have other suitors who value his scoring, although perhaps not as a starter. I canvassed a few execs on his likely value during my recent travels, and most seemed to think one or two years at slightly above the midlevel exception was a fair ballpark (i.e., two years and $35 million to $40 million). However, with tanking now verboten, a one-year balloon deal from a struggling cap-room team like the Chicago Bulls or Brooklyn Nets can’t be ruled out.

New York Times

For the game, the Knicks held the Hawks to 37.8 percent shooting from the field and 25.7 percent shooting from 3-point range. They recorded an absurd 16 steals along with six blocks. “We were able to get stops, run in transition, get layups,” Jalen Brunson said. “It really came down to our defense. It allowed us to play fast. Allowed us to play in transition. And we made shots. “Most importantly, it shows us what we’re capable of defensively. I think that’s really important.” Josh Hart, who was questionable for the game with a back injury, once again guarded CJ McCollum and completely neutralized him. McCollum was just 1-for-5 from the field when Hart guarded him, per the league’s official tracking stats. In total, McCollum finished with just 11 points on 4-for-13 shooting from the field.

New York Post

O.G. Anunoby — who had 26 points, four steals and seven rebounds while helping the Knicks set a playoff record by amassing a 47-point halftime lead — finished the series averaging 21.5 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals while shooting over 61 percent from the field and better than 60 percent on 3-pointers (17 of 28).
 “[He was] just doing everything — scoring, defense, rebounding, making plays,” said Mikal Bridges, who was nearly as phenomenal, adding 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting from the field. “He’s doing everything out there and that’s what we need. And I think he’s gonna continue to do that for us.”

New York Post

Newly acquired CJ McCollum, who arrived in the Young deal in early January on an expiring contract, will also be seeking a new pact after emerging as the reshaped Hawks' veteran leader during their second-half surge. I'm told Atlanta's plan is to bring back McCollum as well.

marcstein.substack.com

Knicks Videos: "He's crafty, he has a high IQ...he's not overly fast or athletic, but he plays with a pace that's elite" Deuce McBride on the challenges in defending CJ McCollum.

x.com

But this? A team-leading 58 points across two playoff games, at Madison Square Garden? A team-high 32 points in Game 2, including the shot that put the Hawks ahead for good? A tied series heading home? All orchestrated by the guy who was dismissed by pundits as an “expiring contract” three months ago? Well, no. Not quite this. “I’d be bullshitting if I was like, ‘Hey, this is gonna happen,’” Saleh told The Ringer. “I was not expecting him to take over and be the type of player he’s been the last two games. It’s just been like, Damn! Like, this is pretty amazing.”

The Ringer

“I’m not surprised with his confidence and his ability to do what he’s doing,” said Saleh of the 13-year veteran. “I just didn’t expect the efficiency—like, everything has been so good, and he’s just taken over the series, and in such a dramatic way. It eases the pressure on some of our guys. It helps us understand how to win playoff games, which is a skill. He understands tempo and pace and mismatches and who to go at, who not to go at, clock situations, all that stuff he’s been phenomenal with.”

The Ringer

Ian Begley: Knicks-Hawks is now a three-game series. Knicks dominated Atlanta in crucial Game 4, thanks in part to Karl Anthony Towns (20p, 10r, 10a), OG Anunoby (22p, 10r) and Josh Hart (10p, 9r, 3a & strong defense on CJ McCollum). Hawks have 18 TOs and are 10-for-40 from three.

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Jorge Sierra: There are the top playoff scorers... among players who never made the All-Star. CJ McCollum could soon crack the Top 10.

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Oh No He Didn't: CJ McCollum on Jonathan Kuminga: "We're not up 2-1 without him. We're thankful to have and we'll make sure we take good care of him here in the A"

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