yahoo - 4/17/2026 2:19:46 PM - GMT (+2 )
The New York Knicks can take solace that Trae Young is nowhere to be found in their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks, and thus, Knicks fans don't have a chance to spit on him because he was torching their team.
Young is in a Washington Wizards uniform after a January trade, but when he was in Atlanta five years ago, he single-handedly led the Hawks to a five-game drubbing of the Knicks, leading to more postseason dread for New York.
Nothing has changed in the big picture for the Knicks, who are seeking their first Finals appearance since 1999, and welcome the visiting Hawks to kick off the best-of-seven series.
Here is a breakdown of the Knicks-Hawks series:
Of course, Jalen Brunson wasn't on the Knicks roster in 2021 and joined the team the next offseason after leaving the Dallas Mavericks and signing a four-year, $104 million free-agent contract.
The Knicks' playoff fortunes begin and end with Brunson, the reigning Clutch Player of the Year, so it is imperative that he gets going early and also gets his teammates involved. That means Karl Anthony Towns needs to be aggressive on both ends of the floor, and in his two games this season against the Hawks, he averaged 28.5 points and 13.5 rebounds. But the bench is the X-factor for New York, which ranked third in offensive efficiency and fifth in 3-point percentage, and can generally go nine or 10 deep during the postseason, which might give them an advantage the longer the series goes on.
New York, winners of 53 games, played at a faster pace and hoisted more 3-pointers this season than under predecessor Tom Thibodeau. But one disadvantage is that, looking ahead to Boston, a healthy Jayson Tatum could be staring them right in the face in the second round.
How the Hawks can advanceAtlanta has played outstanding basketball over the last two months, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them advance out of this round.
Their defense must be elite, and the Hawks have a top-10 defense, just like the Knicks, who are more than capable of turning stingy defense into instant offense. Job number one for Atlanta is to stop Brunson on the offensive end and make him a liability on defense, using their guards' height advantage. They must also win the rebounding battle and pound the ball inside, as New York's lack of rim presence, especially shot blocking, can be used to their advantage.
Jalen Johnson has turned into a star, averaging 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game, and teaming with Nickeil Alexander-Walker, a nearly 21-point-per-game scorer, the Knicks will have their hands full against one of the best distributing teams in the league. The addition of Jonathan Kuminga should help, especially when Atlanta struggles in the half-court. But the Hawks must run the Knicks out of the gym to have a chance, but they might not have the offensive firepower to stay in the series.
Prediction: Knicks in fiveKnicks vs hawks Series schedule: TV, stream information- Game 1: Atlanta at New York, Saturday, April 18, 6 p.m., Prime Video
- Game 2: Atlanta at New York, Monday, April 20, 8 p.m., NBC, Peacock
- Game 3: New York at Atlanta, Thursday, April 23, 7 p.m., Prime Video
- Game 4: New York at Atlanta, Saturday, April 25, 6 p.m., NBC
- Game 5: Atlanta at New York, Tuesday, April 28, TBD, (if necessary)
- Game 6: New York at Atlanta, Thursday, April 30, TBD (if necessary)
- Game 7: Atlanta at New York, Saturday, May 2, TBD (if necessary)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Knicks vs Hawks NBA playoffs prediction, schedule, matchups, analysis
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