The New York Knicks are set to match up against the Atlanta Hawks in Round 1 and the Daily Knicks staff came together to give all of our picks and predictions for the most pressing questions this series is going to present.
What was most surprising about Mike Brown's 9-man playoff rotation?
Maxwell Ogden: Can I cheat and say: Leon Rose not acquiring a quality backup 3/4 who can alleviate pressure from OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart? No? Then the faith that Brown is putting in undersized guards and offensive-minded wings to step up on defense. Perhaps it's a necessarily evil, but the Knicks have effectively made it so they can't play a second without one of Anunoby, Bridges, or Hart on the court against teams with high-level wings. Question is: Is Mohamed Diawara really ready to prove that Brown should change his strategy?
Dan Favale: The promised inclusion of Jordan Clarkson. With no true wings to come off the pine other than Mohamed Diawara, I assumed he might get phased back into the plan. But given the Knicks' enduring need for secondary shot-making and ball-handling, as well as JC's recent play, I understand Mikey B's logic.
Jordanna Clark: The obvious answer here is Jose Alvarado's exclusion, assuming he will be out of the rotation. It's surprising, given all the hype around the deadline trade over two months ago, but not really all that surprising given the role he played toward the end of the season. The good thing about Jose is that he's the kind of guy who Mike Brown can turn to for a spark off the bench, so he can still get his big MSG playoff moment(s).
Evan Harkin: Honestly, nothing. I think Brown picked the perfect nine players, and I don’t think the process was all that hard for him. If there is one player who I think can find himself in the rotation for a few minutes in the future during the postseason, it’s Alvarado. His offensive inefficiency seems to be the main reason he was left out of the rotation, but he’s the type of player who oozes playoff energy and can spark momentum at anytime while on the floor.
Kris Pursiainen: Jose Alvarado not making the cut. I definitely didn't think he'd be left out of the top nine for the playoffs entirely, and especially not in favor of Jordan Clarkson. That's apparently what happens when a scoring artist reinvents himself as a defensive pest, though.
What is the biggest threat the Hawks pose to the Knicks in Round 1?
Maxwell Ogden: CJ McCollum. It was a while back now, but McCollum consistently looked like Portland's best player during the Nuggets-Trail Blazers series in 2019 that saw Portland reach the Conference Finals. 41 to win Game 3, 30 to win Game 6, and 37 to win Game 7. I know he's older, but he's also finally on a team that lets him simply play his game without having to worry about being in an undersized backcourt or playing out of position as a point guard. McCollum is still one of the most lethal dribble penetrators in the NBA—50.4% shooting on 10.3 drives per game in 2025-26—and he can give the Knicks serious trouble in at least 2-3 games during this series. The epitome of a game-stealing talent if things are going well for Atlanta.
Dan Favale: The speed at which the Hawks offense operates can be daunting. Only one team played faster this season after their opponent *made* a shot. Though the Knicks have generally done a good job keeping opponents out of transition, their defense on the break is no great shakes. If they lallygag after a make or get caught complaining following a miss, their margin for error dramatically shrinks.
Jordanna Clark: The Hawks are an underdog riding a wave of momentum, and that's scary in itself. They learned months ago that they're better off without Trae Young, officially passing the baton to Jalen Johnson. Atlanta isn't facing the pressure it probably would've felt if it had kept Young, and instead has the chance to play the role of disruptor to a team expected to reach the NBA Finals. You can't think of a better scenario for them than ending New York's season early.
Evan Harkin: The Hawks have a lengthy, versatile starting five. They’re long and athletic, which are typically the types of defenders who have the best chance to contain Jalen Brunson. Unlike other teams who have maybe one or two of those long, versatile defenders, Atlanta can have up to three or four on the court at all times. They’re very switchable on defense, which can limit the Knicks screening on offense.
Kris Pursiainen: Their motor and tenacity as a group. Take team names out of this: a hungry, athletic team full of underdogs and defensive-minded young players is the exact kind of group that fans of a contender, that's been caught with their feet up a few times too many, should fear. The Hawks put in the blood and sweat necessary to be that kind of team for 48 minutes each night. The Knicks are too talented for that to matter, right? Right?
Which player, from the Knicks or Hawks' rosters, will be the X-factor of this series?
Maxwell Ogden: Jonathan Kuminga. A year ago, Kuminga averaged 24.3 points per game on .554/.389/.720 shooting over Golden State's final four postseason games. If he can even come close to that level of play, Jalen Johnson's limitations as an isolation scorer will be masked. If Kuminga fails to, however, then Johnson can be contained. That alone could swing the series in New York's favor, as Johnson's scoring and playmaking will both be directly impacted by Kuminga's success.
Dan Favale: Josh Hart. It's always going to be Josh Hart. We didn't see too much of it in the last Knicks-Hawks tilt, but Atlanta will inevitably defend him with Onyeka Okongwu. New York needs him to let it fly. The efficiency has been there for him virtually all season, but volume is just as important. Any hesitance Hart shows is an invitation for the defense to keep guarding Karl-Anthony Towns with smalls and complicate his burgeoning chemistry with Jalen Brunson.
Jordanna Clark: Mitchell Robinson, and that probably would've still been the case even if Jock Landale had recovered from his ankle sprain. Onyeka Okongwu will have to find a way to limit the impact of the best offensive rebounder in the league, a feat that other opposing big men have failed to do in the playoffs. It feels more and more like this is the ideal matchup for Mitch to dominate on both ends.
Evan Harkin: I think Mitchell Robinson will be the difference-maker in the series. It's already been revealed that the Hawks, like many other teams, have trouble matching up against him. While Atlanta has great defenders on the wings, their two centers are dealing with injuries which can open the door for Robinson to feast around the rim.
Kris Pursiainen: Onyeka Okongwu. The Knicks have enough of a talent advantage that no one player stands out as holding the fate of the series in their hands. But Okongwu's 3-point prowess against the Knicks in the regular season, and Jock Landale's injury/Atlanta's front court depth, leave him as the Hawks' only real threat to Karl-Anthony Towns or Mitchell Robinson. It wouldn't be some career-changing indictment on his abilities if he couldn't handle that challenge. But if he can?
Which team is winning the series? In how many games? Why?!
Maxwell Ogden: Knicks in six. I think the Hawks are too good to lose in fewer than five, but the Knicks are too talented and experienced to let this series slip away. Jalen Brunson is also the best late-game player in this series.
Dan Favale: Knicks in six. The Hawks' offense can be dicey, particularly in the half-court. We all have questions about New York's offense, but generally speaking, a Jalen Brunson-captained attack will make enough shots to give the defense a chance to get set.
Jordanna Clark: Knicks in 6. It's not just about New York's experience, although that is certainly a factor. What sticks out the most is that the Hawks don't have the size to match up with the Knicks, so while I think Mitch is the X-Factor, Karl-Anthony Towns should feast.
Evan Harkin: Knicks in five games. I think the Knicks' bench thrives in this series against a bruised Hawks team. The biggest difference between this years’ roster and last season’s is depth. I think New York shows that they’ve improved majorly in that area, right away, to start the postseason.
Kris Pursiainen: The Knicks, in 5, because their defense – which has been elite since late January – is good enough to shut the Hawks' lack of traditional star talent down. New York will need Jalen Brunson to save them in a game, or two. But it's just as likely that Mikal Bridges or OG Anunoby win them a game with a timely 3-point shot, block, or both. Karl-Anthony Towns might pull off a Game-4-against-the-Pistons kind of victory. At least for this opening round, the streets of New York City are going to be a dance-floor.
Which team should Knick fans be rooting for in the Celtics/76ers series?
Maxwell Ogden: Call me crazy, but I'll go with the Boston Celtics. Exclusively because I think the New York Knicks have a narrative to shut down. And silencing the nonsensical criticism of beating Boston without Tatum last year would be a wonderful experience. Particularly because Tatum went down when the series was already heavily in New York's favor. But narratives are what they are. Silence the nonsense and show why you're a true contender.
Dan Favale: Give me the Celtics. Smooth ships don't make good sailors. Also: The very existence of Mitchell Robinson seems to twist Joe Mazzulla's brain into pretzel.
Jordanna Clark: Easily the 76ers, and that will be the case even if Joel Embiid returns. As fun as it would be for the Knicks to eliminate the Celtics for the second straight season, Boston is a well-oiled machine that looks even better than last year. The preferred outcome is avoiding matching up with them again, but that's probably a challenge New York is looking forward to (and that's a good thing!).
Evan Harkin: Knicks fans should celebrate a 76ers victory in that series. The Celtics are not only one of the best teams in the NBA, but they’ve clearly learned to win without their best player throughout the season. Can you imagine what the Knicks record would be if Jalen Brunson missed most of the regular season? The Celtics are a force, and New York should welcome playing literally any other team in the second round.
Kris Pursiainen: The 76ers. Joel Embiid's health troubles and VJ Edgecombe's lack of playoff experience make Philadelphia look appealing as a potential second-round matchup. While New York can definitely beat Boston, again, the Celtics' front court hasn't been so weak this season that matching up with Joe Mazzulla's scheme is preferable to a historically inconsistent Sixers group.
Stay tuned to Daily Knicks' coverage of the NBA Playoffs!
These five scribes, and the rest of our lovely crew here at Daily Knicks, will continue to have you covered throughout New York's entire playoff run. Regardless of how long it lasts, we'll have new posts every single day about it all.
But that shouldn't surprise anyone. It's in the name!
Add us as a preferred source on Google