On Saturday, April 18, the New York Knicks opened the first round of the NBA Playoffs in the historic Madison Square Garden against the Atlanta Hawks. Behind star-studded performances from Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns, the third-seeded Knicks dominated the sixth-seeded Hawks in six games.
After winning five of their last six games during the regular season, the Knicks were heading into the postseason with a lot of momentum, but also a lot of expectations. Last year, they reached the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the Pacers in six games. The catalyst for their success was no surprise: Knicks southpaw guard Jalen Brunson. Throughout the 25-26 regular season, Brunson averaged a staggering 26 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists per game. His offensive presence forced teams all season to send multiple players to guard him, helping other teammates get open looks to score. Brunson’s sidekicks, Towns and Anunoby, have been the two players that have benefited the most from the attention focused on Brunson. Throughout the regular season, Towns averaged 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists per game, while Anunoby averaged 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. These three dynamic scorers helped the Knicks beat the Hawks twice in the regular season and finish with a 53-29 record.
One of the biggest factors helping the Knicks win this series was the supportive atmosphere. New York is known as a hostile environment for other teams to play in because Knicks fans are extremely passionate about their team. Game after game, the fans dominated the crowd, shouting and cheering. Even when the Knicks played away, it seemed like a home game because of the sheer dedication of Knicks fans to attend every game.
“Game one was unlike any other basketball game I have ever been to,” Asher Goldstrom (’27) said. “If you thought that Knicks regular season games were intense, then you’ll be shocked coming to one of these games.”
After shooting almost 50% from the three-point line, the Knicks opened the series with a double digit win at home. Brunson, the 2025 NBA Clutch Player of the Year, led the Knicks in scoring, with 28 points and seven assists. As usual, Towns and Anunoby were the second and third leading scorers, scoring 25 points and 18 points, respectively. Despite the loss, CJ McCollum of the Hawks scored an astonishing 26 points and took this momentum into the next game. In game two, McCollum had a career night, dropping 32 points and establishing himself as the “New York Villain” after hitting the go-ahead field goal with 33 seconds left on the clock. This performance from McCollum helped the Hawks rally to a 107-106 win over the Knicks, sparking insanity throughout New York City.
“One of my friends was outside of MSG after game two and the streets were going wild,” said Jason Baer (’27). “People were chanting ‘f*ck McCollum’ and ‘go back to Australia Dyson Daniels’ for hours.”
Game three was played in Atlanta. Throughout the first three quarters of the game, the Hawks outplayed the Knicks and were up by eight points heading into the fourth quarter. With a 28 point performance from Anunoby, the Knicks clawed their way back and took the lead. Despite the Knicks’ efforts, McCollum put on a spectacular performance, scoring 23 points and hitting another go-ahead mid-range shot with 13 seconds left in the game. The Hawks went on to win game three and led the series two-one.
“I was so upset watching this at home,” said Goldstrom. “The Knicks are so much better than the Hawks; it makes no sense how we are losing these easy games that we should be winning by 20. Hopefully they can turn it around and win the series.”
In spite of the Knicks underperforming in game three, the fans still came out to Atlanta and created an electric ambiance. The dynamic trio of Anunoby, Towns, and Brunson started off the game hot, giving the Knicks a 14 point lead at halftime. They kept their foot on the pedal, going up by 20 points throughout the third quarter. Despite a strong run by the Hawks late in the fourth, Anunoby scored 22 points, helping the Knicks secure the win. This win was crucial for the Knicks as game five would be played at home and the series was now tied two-two.
Game five brought out an extraordinary row of celebrities and former Knicks players. Actors Ben Stiller and Timothee Chalamet brought energy before the game, hyping up the crowd and getting the fans rowdy. The Knicks, once again, started off hot, going up 13 points after the first quarter. Brunson went on a scoring run, scoring from all three levels and dishing out assists. Towns also did his share, grabbing rebounds and holding down the paint. Before you knew it, the Knicks were up by 24 and they closed out the game with the same energy, winning by a staggering 29 points. This was a statement game for the Knicks as they were now up three-two against the Hawks and would try to close out the series away in game six.
Game six was unlike any other playoff game ever seen in NBA history. After the end of the first quarter, the Knicks were up an astounding 25 points. But the Knicks didn’t stop there. At the end of the first half, the Knicks went up 47 points. Because of the astonishing lead, the bench played almost the entire second half and not only played well but also brought the lead up to 51 points, helping to secure a four-two series win over the Hawks.
The Knicks are now headed to the Eastern Conference Finals after a statement series win over the Atlanta Hawks. For the second year in a row, the Knicks have been able to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, for them, this is the year they could win it all. With momentum from a dominant first series win, strong team chemistry, and passionate support from fans, the Knicks will look towards making their first NBA Finals since 1999 and perhaps even win their first NBA title since 1973.
