Tipoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York (Knicks home; best-of-7 series)
Game Context and Team Records
The No. 3 seed Knicks host the No. 6 seed Hawks in a rematch of an Eastern Conference rivalry that has heated up in recent seasons. New York earned home-court advantage with a strong regular-season record and finished well ahead in the East standings. Atlanta enters as a dangerous, surging playoff team after a solid close to the year but faces the challenge of stealing an opener on the road against a deeper, more experienced Knicks squad in a hostile Garden atmosphere.
Recent Form
Knicks: Solid down the stretch (roughly 7-3 in their last 10), with strong defensive metrics and efficient scoring led by their core stars. They closed the regular season with momentum and boast one of the league’s better home records (30-10 or 31-10).
Hawks: Mixed but competitive (around 6-4 in their last 10), including a recent win over Cleveland but a loss to Miami in the finale. Atlanta has shown explosive offensive potential and transition play, though road consistency has been an issue.
Series History
New York went 2-1 against Atlanta in the 2025-26 regular-season series (wins of 128-125 and 108-105; Atlanta won 111-99). The Knicks hold the edge in recent head-to-head play overall (7-4 in the last three seasons). This is the first postseason meeting in this matchup, though the teams have a history of tight, physical games.
Key Player Matchups
Jalen Brunson (NYK) vs. Dyson Daniels / Hawks perimeter: Brunson (26.0 PPG, 6.8 APG in series context) is the best player on the floor; Atlanta will rely on lengthy defenders like Daniels to harass him and limit his efficiency.
Karl-Anthony Towns / Josh Hart (NYK) vs. Jalen Johnson / Onyeka Okongwu (ATL): The frontcourt battle is pivotal—Towns’ scoring and spacing vs. Johnson’s versatility (22.5 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 7.9 APG) and Okongwu’s rim protection. Hawks may use wings on Towns to keep Okongwu free for help defense.
Mikal Bridges / OG Anunoby (NYK) vs. Hawks wings (Kuminga / Alexander-Walker): Knicks’ wing depth and defense provide a clear edge in rotation flexibility.
Bench and transition: Hawks’ young, athletic group (led by Johnson and Alexander-Walker) can punish mistakes in the open floor, but Knicks’ experience gives them the advantage in half-court sets.
Injury Report
Atlanta Hawks (depth tested in the frontcourt and rotation):
Jock Landale (C): OUT – high right ankle sprain (re-evaluated in ~2 weeks; expected return around May 2).
Onyeka Okongwu (PF/C): GTD – finger.
Jonathan Kuminga (PF): GTD – knee.
Additional day-to-day notes: CJ McCollum (rest/GTD), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (toe), Jalen Johnson (rest).
New York Knicks (multiple stars managing minor ailments but expected available):
Jalen Brunson (PG): DTD – ankle.
Karl-Anthony Towns (C): DTD – elbow.
Josh Hart (SG): DTD – ankle.
OG Anunoby (PF): DTD – ankle.
Mitchell Robinson (C): DTD – ankle.
Tyler Kolek (PG): DTD – oblique.
Injuries are fluid—final status updates will come closer to tip-off, but both teams are anticipated to have their key contributors available.
Betting Trends
Knicks are strong at home and have covered as favorites in recent matchups.
Hawks are competitive on the road but have been underdogs in most playoff-style spots.
Totals have stayed relatively low in recent head-to-head games; playoffs often start with slower paces.
Game Odds
Atlanta Hawks 216.5
New York Knicks – 5.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, April 17, 2026
