The New York Knicks are preparing to face the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2026 NBA playoffs. For the Knicks, it is an opportunity to avenge a previous playoff defeat.
Knicks Aim to Overcome Hawks in Five Games
The Knicks are making their fifth NBA playoff appearance in the last six seasons. They have achieved 50 or more wins in each of the last three seasons. Moreover, their playoff win total has exceeded their regular season win total in four seasons. The Knicks have established themselves as one of the NBA’s top teams.
As the 2026 playoffs approach, the third-seeded Knicks will play the sixth-seeded Atlanta Hawks. The Knicks’ team culture and star players should help them avenge their 2021 playoff loss to the Hawks. A series victory should come without too much trouble.
Both teams are vastly different from their last playoff encounter. The Knicks are now led by Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, all of whom were not with the team in 2021. Mitchell Robinson is the only remaining player from that team, but he missed the 2021 series due to injury. The Hawks’ key players, including Jalen Johnson, Jonathan Kuminga and CJ McCollum, are also facing the Knicks in the playoffs for the first time.
Brunson and Towns Key to Knicks’ Success
New York should be keen to secure a series victory, especially given their recent record against Atlanta. The Knicks have won two of their three games against the Hawks this season. This includes a recent 108-105 road victory against a full-strength Hawks team. Towns missed the only game the Knicks lost to the Hawks this season.
From a positional perspective, the Knicks present a difficult match-up for the Hawks. Brunson has performed well against top defender Dyson Daniels. Since 2023, Brunson has averaged 25.2 points and 6.6 assists with only 2.6 turnovers in nine games against the Hawks, according to StatMuse.
His numbers are even better this season. Brunson has averaged 29.3 points, 7.7 assists and 2.6 turnovers in three games against the Hawks in the 2025-26 season. This is up from his averages of 26 points, 6.4 assists and 2.4 turnovers last season.
Towns has also played well in the Knicks’ wins against the Hawks this season. He has averaged 28.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists in the Knicks’ two victories. The Knicks have been increasing the amount of time that Brunson and Towns play together. Therefore, we could see more of this pairing in the first-round series against the Hawks, which could be difficult for Atlanta to contain.
A Physical Series Expected
The upcoming first-round match-up between the Knicks and Hawks could develop into a series filled with personal battles and physicality. This is the type of environment in which the Knicks often find themselves. If New York wants to advance beyond the Eastern Conference semi-finals, this sort of test could prove beneficial.
If the Knicks play to their potential, the series should not last more than five games. At least for now, securing a series victory against this Hawks team appears to be an attainable goal.