CJ McCollum feels Jalen Brunson’s Game 1 performance was better suited for Broadway rather than a basketball court.
The Atlanta Hawks guard was assessed a controversial technical foul in Game 1 of his team’s first-round series against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, N.Y. McCollum took a jump shot while being defended by Brunson to open the second half and inadvertently kicked the Knicks guard in the groin.
Brunson stayed down for nearly a minute as referees reviewed the play for a potential hostile act. The referees ruled in favor of New York and hit McCollum with the tech. The Hawks trailed 57-55 at that point and never got closer than that the rest of the way, falling 113-102 in Game 1.
After the game, McCollum was asked about the technical foul. The former president of the NBA Players Association was not going to give a diplomatic answer during his postgame press conference.
“I shot a jumper and Jalen thought we were at a Broadway show,” McCollum told reporters.
“He acted it out until they reviewed it. It’s a normal jump shot, nothing there. Unnecessary, and I look forward to getting my $2,500 back.”
Brunson was also asked about the moment and stated that it “wasn’t purposeful” contact from McCollum and urged everyone to “move forward.”
Brunson and McCollum led their respective teams in scoring. CJ tallied 26 points on 11/20 shooting, while Jalen recorded a game-high 28 points on a 9/22 clip.
Trae Young may no longer be a member of the Atlanta Hawks, but the animosity between the two franchises is alive and well.
