New York's Game 5 defensive watch starts with OG Anunoby shrinking Jalen Johnson

By Felix Navarro Apr 26, 2026

Game 5 at Madison Square Garden should be read through OG Anunoby's control of Jalen Johnson, because that matchup helped turn Atlanta into a high-volume, low-efficiency three-point team in Game 4.

Fan question

What should Knicks fans watch in Game 5: another Towns hub game, or whether OG Anunoby keeps Jalen Johnson from becoming Atlanta's pressure release?

Watch the Anunoby-Johnson matchup. New York tied the series 2-2 with a 114-98 Game 4 win, and the newer defensive detail is that Johnson finished with 14 points on 4-for-12 shooting while primarily guarded by Anunoby as Atlanta shot 24.4% from three on 41 attempts.

The Knicks' Game 5 watch starts at the elbow and the slot, wherever Jalen Johnson tries to become Atlanta's release valve and OG Anunoby is already waiting.

New York's offense had the louder Game 4 headline, but the more useful Game 5 read is defensive: Anunoby against Johnson. If Anunoby keeps that matchup small, Atlanta's half-court options start to look narrower fast.

What to watch

Watch Johnson's first two touches in each stint. Does he get downhill, force a rotation, and make New York choose between the paint and the arc? Or does Anunoby keep him in front long enough that Atlanta's possession turns into late movement and another jumper?

Game 4 gave the Knicks a clean starting point. New York won 114-98 and tied the series 2-2. Johnson finished with 14 points on 4-for-12 shooting while primarily guarded by Anunoby. Around that matchup, Atlanta shot 24.4% from three on 41 attempts.

That three-point number is not just a shooting stat. It is the symptom. When Johnson is not bending the floor, the Hawks can end up living with volume from deep without enough paint pressure behind it.

Why it matters

Game 5 moves to Madison Square Garden with the series reset. That changes the feel, but the floor problem stays practical. Atlanta needs Johnson to be more than a stationary connector. He has to make Anunoby defend space, not just a body.

For New York, the assignment is just as clear. If Anunoby can erase Johnson's downhill touches without dragging extra help into the lane, the Knicks can keep Atlanta from turning one advantage into the next. That is how a defense turns a matchup into a team-wide tax.

Anunoby also scored 22 points in the Game 4 win, but the Game 5 question is not whether he can contribute on both ends in the abstract. It is whether his defense keeps Atlanta from finding an easier pressure release.

What counts as a real signal

A real Knicks signal is Johnson staying near the same box as Game 4: limited attempts, inefficient finishing, and possessions that end with Atlanta taking threes because the paint never opened.

A real Hawks signal is different. Johnson forces Anunoby into help rotations, gets New York's shell moving, and turns those 41 three-point attempts into cleaner looks rather than bailout volume.

By the fourth quarter, the watch is simple: does Johnson make Anunoby move the Knicks' defense, or does New York keep Atlanta stuck outside? Next, track Johnson's attempts, Anunoby's matchup minutes, Atlanta's three-point rate, and whether the Hawks create cleaner paint pressure.