Knicks’ Game 1 report card: Solid grades but room for improvement

Report card from the Knicks’ 113-102 Game 1 win over the Hawks on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden:

Jalen Brunson

Set the tone with 19 points in the opening quarter, reminding the NBA world that his game elevates in the playoffs. But the captain cooled off considerably — finishing with just 28 points on 9-for-22 shooting — as other Knicks stepped up to finish off the Hawks.

Grade: C-

Karl-Anthony Towns

Featured early in the offense and struggled, shooting just 1-for-6 in the first half with four turnovers despite a mismatch with Atlanta’s small frontcourt. But Towns recovered with a killer fourth-quarter stretch, turning his aggressiveness into efficiency while finishing the evening with 25 points and eight rebounds. It was a roller-coaster night for the center that ended on a high.