Everything you need to know about the Hawks’ opening playoff series
After four straight trips to the play-in tournament, the Hawks broke the streak with a top-six spot in the Eastern Conference and will start the NBA playoffs Saturday on the road.
The Hawks earned the No. 6 seed and will face the third-seeded Knicks in the first round, which will begin in New York.
Here’s everything you need to know about the first-round series:
Series schedule (best-of-seven)
Game 1: Knicks 113, Hawks 102
Game 2: Hawks 107, Knicks 106
Game 3: Hawks 109, Knicks 108
Game 4: Knicks 114, Hawks 98
Game 5: Knicks 126, Hawks 97
Game 6: Knicks at Hawks, 7 p.m., April 30, 7 on ESPN
Game 7*: Hawks at Knicks, May 2, Time TBD
* if necessary
Betting odds
DraftKings favors the Knicks in the series, with the opening line set at 5.5 games. They have the Knicks favored by -390, while they set the Hawks as the underdogs at +290.
FanDuel gives the Hawks +290 odds to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals. They have +950 odds to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.
Head-to-head
Knicks: The Hawks lead the Knicks 204-194 in the head-to-head matchup. This season, though, the Knicks won two of the three regular-season matchups, each by three points.
On Dec. 27, the Knicks got a 128-125 road win, dealing the Hawks their sixth straight loss in a seven-game skid. On Jan. 2, the Hawks returned the favor with a 111-99 victory at Madison Square Garden. In the finale April 6, the Knicks eked out a 108-105 win, as officials ruled that CJ McCollum’s last-second, potentially game-tying heave came after the buzzer.
Historically, the Hawks are 5-9 against the Knicks in the postseason. Atlanta did get the better of New York more recently, though, when they downed them in five games in the first round in 2021 on their way to the Eastern Conference finals.
Opposing players to watch
- Jalen Brunson: The three-time All-Star point guard is the catalyst for the Knicks’ offense. He’s averaging 26 points and 6.8 assists in what could be his third consecutive All-NBA season. He’s a nightmare for defenders, but the Hawks have the guards and wings to contend with Brunson’s pick-and-roll expertise.
- Karl-Anthony Towns: The Knicks’ big man is the anchor in the middle, but he’s also an adept 3-point threat, even as his percentage has dropped from 42% last season to 37% this year. He’s averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds, but his inside-outside game will be more manageable for the Hawks to defend.
- OG Anunoby: The veteran wing is averaging 16.7 points and 5.2 rebounds and shooting 39% on 3-pointers, and he’s one of their best defenders. He’s an unsung hero for his two-way game, and he could be a key for the Knicks if they need a scoring boost.
Hawks’ recent playoff history
2025: Lost in play-in tournament
2024: Lost in play-in tournament
2023: Advanced from play-in; lost in first round to Celtics in six games
2022: Advanced from play-in; lost in first round to Heat in five games
2021: Beat Knicks in first round in five games; beat 76ers in second round in seven games; lost in Eastern Conference finals to Bucks in six games
Ticket information
The Hawks will host Games 3 and 4 at State Farm Arena. Presale playoff tickets are available via Ticketmaster. If the series goes that far, the Hawks also would host Game 6.
Where to watch
The first round of the playoffs will air across all three of the league’s broadcast partners. Over the first two rounds, ESPN/ABC will broadcast approximately 18 games, NBA/Peacock will carry approximately 28 games, and Prime will carry about one-third of the games.
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