CJ McCollum “wasn’t surprised” by the Knicks’ first championship in 53 years.
The Hawks guard says he told OG Anunoby they could win it all during the first round of the playoffs, despite Atlanta winning the first two games of the series.
“I wasn’t surprised they won. I actually told OG [Anunoby] at the free-throw line, ‘I think you guys can win the championship,’” McCollum said on SiriusXM NBA Radio.
CJ McCollum reflects on loss to Knicks in NBA Playoffs. @SiriusXMNBA/X
“Looking at their roster, how they were playing, meshing, and their focus and intensity, I saw a team capable of making a deep run.”
McCollum said the entire Hawks team realized how good the Knicks were during the series, highlighting their shot-making and Jalen Brunson.
Brunson averaged 28.4 points, 6.1 assists and 3.2 rebounds across 19 games in the 2026 playoffs.
McCollum, who became a Knicks villain during the series, continued, saying the Knicks made perfect adjustments offensively to combat the Hawks, which was a valuable lesson to take out of a first-round matchup.
OG Anunoby of the Knicks. ZUMAPRESS.com
“We pushed them to the limit, I’m sure they appreciated the fact that we tested them and got them ready,” McCollum said.
He said sometimes teams can glide to the later rounds of the playoffs because of their talent, but crumble once they face a team of equal skill.
The Knicks certainly did not glide through the first round, fumbling their homecourt advantage with a Game 2 loss to the Hawks at the Garden.
Then, they fell behind in the series 2-1, when McCollum drained a clutch jumper in Atlanta.
The Knicks were forced to make the adjustments for Game 4, but three straight wins propelled them into a historical playoff run.
They went on to win the NBA Finals with just one loss in the final three rounds.
“I’m not saying this is the greatest team ever. If they win these next two games, this is one of the greatest runs in playoff history,” Charles Barkley said on “Inside the NBA” before the Knicks beat the Spurs. “It’s one of the greatest runs. You have to give them their props.”
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