Knicks vs. Hawks preview
The bracket pairs the Knicks and Hawks in the first round, with local coverage framing the series around Jalen Brunson leading New York into the matchup against Atlanta. National roundups list Knicks‑Hawks among the early interest first‑round pairings. (amny.com) (cbssports.com)
The New York Knicks will open the National Basketball Association playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, April 18, after finishing as the East’s No. 3 seed at 53-29. (nba.com) New York clinched the matchup when the 2025-26 bracket locked in with the Knicks at No. 3 and the Hawks at No. 6 at 46-36. The first-round opener is set for 6 p.m. Eastern on April 18 at Madison Square Garden. (nba.com) (cbssports.com) (amny.com) Jalen Brunson led New York at 26.0 points per game this season, and Karl-Anthony Towns posted a league-leading 56 double-doubles, according to local and league previews. Atlanta enters with Jalen Johnson leading the team in points, rebounds and assists at 22.5, 10.3 and 7.9 per game. (amny.com) (espn.com) (statmuse.com) The matchup is tighter than the seeding suggests. The Knicks won the season series 2-1, but the three games were decided by three points, 12 points and three points, and Atlanta outscored New York by six total points across those meetings. (amny.com) (nba.com) (espn.com) The most recent game came on April 6, when Brunson scored 30 points and had 13 assists in a 108-105 Knicks win in Atlanta. That finish turned on replay, with a Hawks buzzer-beater wiped out after review. (espn.com 1) (espn.com 2) New York brings the cleaner full-season profile into the series. The Knicks scored 118.9 points per 100 possessions, allowed 112.2, and finished with a 6.6 net rating, while Atlanta posted marks of 115.1, 112.6 and 2.5. (nba.com) Atlanta’s edge is pace. The Hawks ranked fifth in pace and third in fast-break points, while the Knicks ranked 25th in pace and 14th in fast-break points, setting up a series between Atlanta’s transition game and New York’s half-court control. (nba.com) (basketball-reference.com) The schedule starts with two games in Manhattan before shifting south. amNewYork listed Game 1 on April 18, Game 2 on April 20, Game 3 on April 23 in Atlanta and Game 4 on April 25 in Atlanta, with Games 5 through 7 scheduled only if necessary. (amny.com) For New York, the series opens with a familiar formula: Brunson running the offense, Towns forcing matchup decisions, and the Knicks trying to turn a 53-win season into a deeper postseason run. For Atlanta, it starts with a chance to speed the game up and test whether the hotter late-season team can crack the bracket early. (amny.com) (nba.com)
