He only joined the team last year, but at this rate, CJ McCollum is already on the fast track toward becoming an Atlanta Hawks legend.

The 34-year-old guard has come up huge for Atlanta in these playoffs, playing an essential role in the Hawks taking a 2-1 lead over the New York Knicks in their first-round series.

After dropping the opener, Atlanta responded with a gutsy Game 2 win at Madison Square Garden, where McCollum poured in a game-high 32 points. Only six came in the fourth quarter, but they could not have arrived at a more crucial time.

McCollum punctuated Atlanta’s rally from a 12-point deficit entering the final period with three clutch baskets that swung the game in their favor. His first—a driving layup with 2:08 remaining—gave the Hawks a 101-100 lead, their first of the second half. He followed it on the next possession with a floater to push the margin to three.

New York’s Jalen Brunson answered with a three-pointer to tie the game at 103, but after both teams came up empty on their next possessions, McCollum delivered the defining shot of the night—a baseline fadeaway with 34 seconds left that put Atlanta ahead for good. The Hawks held on for a 107-106 victory and returned home with momentum squarely on their side.

In Game 3, the script appeared to flip in New York’s favor. Atlanta squandered an 18-point first-half lead as the Knicks stormed back to take a 108-105 advantage with 1:03 remaining, their first lead since the opening quarter.

But once again, McCollum was there to rescue the Hawks.

Jalen Johnson scored on a putback to trim the deficit to one before McCollum took over on Atlanta’s final possession. With 13 seconds left, he drove off an inbounds play and rose for a midrange jumper that gave the Hawks a 109-108 lead. The Knicks had one final chance to steal the win, but were not able to even get a shot off before the buzzer sounded.

McCollum finished with 23 points in Game 3 and is now averaging 27 points on 50.8 percent shooting in the series. The veteran guard has rediscovered his purpose in Atlanta and, in many ways, has become the most iconic player of this match-up.

The Hawks still need two more wins to advance, and closing out this gritty Knicks team will be no easy task. With McCollum on the floor though, they have every reason to like their chances. His late-game shot-making clearly remains elite—and New York is learning that the hard way.