New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks: Playoff history, TV schedule for conference rivals

The New York Knicks step into the sector with newfound NBA Finals aspirations. The Atlanta Hawks swoop in off an bold commerce deadline and a white-hot closing stretch. They tangle collectively for one of many first spherical’s most intriguing matchups. In prior iterations, this rivalry gave us wrestling-style heel turns and midcourt says rolls.

Jalen Brunson leads a easy, environment friendly offense. Jalen Johnson’s aspect counters with tempo and strain. Woke up and now it’s two Jalens on this sequence! Here’s Knicks versus Hawks at a look, up to date because the TV listings are revealed.

How to observe No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Atlanta Hawks

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What to know in regards to the Knicks

Fresh off their first conference finals berth in 25 years, the blue and orange went 53-29 — a 3rd straight season with 50+ wins and the franchise’s finest document since 2012-13. Mike Brown succeeded Tom Thibodeau, then broke Pat Riley’s document for first-year Knicks teaching wins.

New York completed fourth in offensive effectivity, seventh on protection and fifth in web score. The twitchy, fearless Brunson averaged 26 factors per sport, good for tenth within the league formally. OG Anunoby was a first-team All-Perimeter-Defense choice for TheAthletic‘s Fred Katz. The wing anticipates units, constricts passing lanes and guards above its measurement.

Mikal Bridges performed each sport for the fifth consecutive marketing campaign. Josh Hart hit 3s, scooped up boards and provided secondary playmaking. Karl-Anthony Towns noticed a slight dip in his numbers, however he nonetheless topped 20 factors per sport for the tenth time in a row.

Leon Rose’s entrance workplace added hometown energy-riser Jose Alvarado on the deadline. The New York bench additionally consists of Mitchell Robinson, a 7-foot pressure off the glass. Robinson was a game-changer final spring with almost 4 offensive boards per playoff sport.

In December, these Knicks glided previous the formidable San Antonio Spurs and gained the third annual NBA Cup. Their rafters are saving room for a championship banner.

What to know in regards to the Hawks

There had been two nonsense Hawks groups that performed out this season. Atlanta curdled to an 18-21 document earlier than it traded franchise staple Bring Young. That transfer introduced in CJ McCollum, whereas a deadline deal landed Jonathan Kuminga for Kristaps Porziņģis.

It was an bold few weeks for normal supervisor Onsi Saleh, and the early returns have been revealing. Following the All-Star break, Atlanta went 20-6 and was second in defensive score, fourth in web score and third in plus-minus.

Johnson posted spectacular averages of twenty-two.5 factors, 10.3 rebounds and seven.9 assists. Per Cleaning the Glassthe first-time All-Star ranked within the 98th percentile in assist-to-usage ratio. The Hawks loved a second breakout star in Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who was added by way of an offseason sign-and-trade. After he averaged 8.4 factors per sport with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the rubbery Alexander-Walker jumped as much as 20.8 for his Atlanta debut.

Meanwhile, McCollum continued to supply from the perimeter, and Kuminga notched just a few exclamation-mark dunks in his new residence.

The rejuvenated protection has high-low anchors in swipe artist Dyson Daniels and large man Onyeka Okongwu. Coach Quin Snyder did a exceptional job together with his midseason changes. He’ll need to get inventive together with his frontcourt rotation now that backup Jock Landale has a sprained ankle.

Head-to-head matchups this season

The Knicks took two of three regular-season dates, with each wins coming by three factors. They constructed an early lead in Atlanta again on Dec. 27; New York held on even because it misplaced the third and fourth quarters. NYK additionally survived in ATL on April 6 — McCollum’s potential game-tying heave from beyond half court was reviewed and dominated simply late.

Atlanta gained 111-99 within the lone Madison Square Garden matchup on Jan. 2. Towns was on ice for that one.

In the opposite two Hawks video games, Towns averaged 28.5 factors on sterling 63/50/94.7 p.c splits. Brunson performed in all three contests and put up 29.3 factors per sport, however he shot simply 8-for-27 (29.6 p.c) on treys. Johnson was just a few dimes shy of a triple-double common versus New York, though he had a mixed 9 turnovers within the final two conferences.

Knicks vs. Hawks playoff historical past

New York leads the all-time sequence 2-1. Walt Frazier was hooping and swooping at 25.6 factors per sport when his staff gained the 1971 Eastern Conference semifinals. And the eighth-seeded Knicks, team of destiny in the 1999 playoffsnotched a second-round sweep of the favored Hawks. It was highlighted by Marcus Camby’s posterizer atop Mount Mutombo.

Then there was the opening spherical of 2021… when Young was public enemy of all 5 boroughs and the tristate space. His Game 1 silencer turned instant NBA canon. Atlanta seized that sequence 4-1, then emerged to a shock conference finals run.

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