Madison Square Garden went silent not once, but twice. All the credit goes to CJ McCollum. The Atlanta Hawks guard deployed all his savvy to complete a 14-point second-half comeback against the New York Knicks. That included a pair of lead-taking daggers that helped Atlanta tie the series at one game apiece. But while the Garden faithful were ready to crown him their next playoff villain, McCollum had a far more measured take on the whole thing.

McCollum faced the Trae Young treatment from the MSG crowd. Boos and chants around his name reverberated around the arena. Little did the audience know that these are the moments the former Trail Blazers star relishes the most. When the going got tough, McCollum chose to be cold-blooded and break New Yorkers’ hearts.

“I love it. It’s why we play the game. It’s fun being in opposing arenas, and when the buzzer sounds, and it’s quiet, and you walk off the court,” McCollum said about the MSG’s hostile reception.

It was fitting foreshadowing, really. Days before the series tipped off, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani had joked at a press conference that soaring playoff ticket prices were the fault of one man- Trae Young.

Young, now with the Washington Wizards, wasted no time firing back on X: “Remember what happened the last time the Mayor of that City had my name in his mouth during a time like this. #DontBlameMeWhenItHappensAgain.”

He wasn’t wrong about the history. What Young couldn’t have scripted, though, was that the man sent to Atlanta in his place would be the one making New York regret it all over again.

That’s exactly what happened. McCollum and the Hawks got the last laugh behind his dominant 32-point performance. The veteran guard has continuously helped the Hawks close games since his arrival. Tonight was just one of the examples of McCollum’s poise under pressure. That’s been the case since the Hawks added him at the deadline, a move that wasn’t highly rated.

As for the Knicks’ newfound grudge against him, McCollum isn’t stressing. The 2016 Most Improved Player of the Year takes it all in good spirit. He also has no interest in becoming the ‘villain’ as former Hawks cornerstone Trae Young.

“I ain’t no villain. I’m a nice guy with two kids and a wife. I think it’s admiration. Great passionate fans in a really hostile environment, it’s fun, it’s basketball, it’s the playoffs. If anything, I think it’s a sign of respect,” the 34-year-old added.

After his Game 2 exploits, CJ McCollum isn’t going to have that choice. The Knicks fanbase already despises him after his comments on Jalen Brunson after Game 1. A game-winner makes everything more personal and much deeper.

CJ McCollum, a blessing the Hawks never saw coming

The Hawks shifted their culture when moving on from Trae Young. But they never expected the return they got from the Washington Wizards to actually complete their roster. While McCollum provides veteran leadership in the locker room, his greatest value comes as an underrated scoring maestro who repeatedly delivers on the big stage.

His experience has been key to the Hawks’ late-season burst. Notably, it’s allowed Atlanta to use a lineup that causes chaos on both ends of the floor. The formula is to surround McCollum, a decorated isolation scorer, with tenacious defenders and athletes.

That chaos is best exemplified by the Hawks’ most effective lineup, which features McCollum alongside Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Onyeka Okongwu, and Dyson Daniels- four tenacious defenders who have combined for a staggering +20.3 net rating across 30 regular-season games, covering all the bases while dishing out constant defensive pressure on the opposition.

Game 2 against the Knicks served as another example.

Alexander-Walker was crucial, getting a steal on Brunson at the right corner in the fourth quarter. A quick pass to Johnson led to a ferocious dunk, extending the Hawks’ lead at 107-103 at the time. New York was held to just 3/11 from the field in the fourth. Even with Brunson’s shot-making ability, the Hawks’ defense forced things to be uncomfortable.

CJ McCollum becomes the trusted weapon to reward these defensive efforts. Over the last two minutes, he made three straight field goals, icing the game and a stunning comeback. It was only the fifth time the Knicks lost when leading by 11-15 points.

It’s now shifted momentum into the Hawks’ favor. They have only lost two of 16 games at home since the All-Star break. While that includes a three-point loss to the Knicks, Atlanta will feel confident about defending its home court. It’s all thanks to the dynamic McCollum, who has finally unlocked the potential of a roster loaded with athleticism and tenacity.

Having stolen a game on the road, the Hawks now head home with a clear belief that McCollum gives them the firepower to once again send the Knicks packing.