The Atlanta Hawks face the New York Knicks in a pivotal Game 5 at Madison Square Garden. Winning this game significantly boosts the chances of advancing in the NBA playoffs.
Key points
Hawks vs. Knicks Game 5 at Madison Square Garden
Winning Game 5 increases series win probability to 81.5%
Knicks won Game 1 113-102
Atlanta is a strong contender in the series
Mentioned in this story
Madison Square Garden
Atlanta HawksNew York KnicksNBA playoffs
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks Game 5 how to watch guide: TV channel, live stream, start time
All eyes are on Madison Square Garden for a crucial Game 5 between the Hawks and Knicks.
NBA teams that win Game 5 of a tied best-of-seven series go on to win the series 81.5% of the time (194-44). The team that exits Manhattan with a victory Tuesday night has a great chance of advancing to the second round.
New York was heavily favored entering the series and won Game 1 113-102, but Atlanta has shown why they are one of the stingiest and hottest teams in basketball.
In Game 2, the Hawks rallied from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit, holding the Knicks to a season-low 15 fourth-quarter points and winning 107-106. CJ McCollum scored a game-high 32 points, including a go-ahead basket with 33 seconds left.
Two nights later, Atlanta fended off a New York rally to earn another one-point victory (109-108). McCollum's go-ahead jumper with 12.7 seconds remaining gave the Hawks a stunning 2-1 series lead.
Five years after Trae Young led the Hawks to a stunning five-game first-round series victory over the Knicks, a player Atlanta got when they traded Young to the Wizards in January is taking center stage.
McCollum, the first player since enhanced data tracking in 1997-98 with go-ahead-for-good shots in the final minute of back-to-back playoff games in the same series, is leading Atlanta in the series with 24.5 points per game. Without him, the series might be over.
The 34-year-old guard only scored 17 points in Game 4, and the Knicks comfortably tied the series after getting Karl-Anthony Towns more involved in the offense. He recorded a triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Six of his assists came on baskets scored by .
Q&A
What time does the Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks Game 5 start?
Game 5 is scheduled to start at 7:30 PM ET.
How can I watch the Hawks vs. Knicks Game 5 live?
The game will be available to watch on ESPN and can also be streamed on various platforms.
What is the significance of Game 5 in the NBA playoffs?
Winning Game 5 in a tied best-of-seven series gives teams an 81.5% chance of winning the series.
Who won the first game in the Hawks vs. Knicks series?
The New York Knicks won the first game of the series with a score of 113-102.
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"He's a special talent. He can do it all. I know if I get open, he'll find me," Anunoby said after Game 4. "It's amazing playing with a player like him."
Keep reading to learn more about Game 5 between the Hawks and the Knicks and how to watch the NBA playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
The New York Knicks bounced back in a big way after consecutive losses to the Hawks, stifling Atlanta on defense to even their first-round series.
How to watch Game 5 between Hawks and Knicks
When: Tuesday, April 28
Where: Madison Square Garden in New York, New York
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Announcing team: Mike Tirico, Reggie Miller, Zora Stephenson
TV: NBC
Live stream: Peacock
Series status: Series tied 2-2
New York Knicks Game 5 preview
Running the offense through Towns worked for the Knicks in Game 4.
He thrived as a passer, unleashing his inner-Nikola Jokic and racking up the assists while only turning the ball over twice. If the Knicks can continue to utilize Towns as a facilitator, they have a better shot of winning Game 5.
Anunoby will also play a major role. The most consistent player for the Knicks this postseason, he is averaging 20.8 points and 8.8 rebounds, shooting 56% from the field. He has been New York's top scorer in the past two games, tying his playoff career high with 29 points in Game 3 and scoring 22, while being a game-high +19 in Game 4.
And of course, there is Brunson. He left Game 4 in the third quarter with an ankle injury but returned, ending the game with 19 points. While he is on pace for his second-lowest scoring playoff series (25.5 points per game) among the eight he has played with the Knicks, he also is struggling defensively.
"At the end of the day, that’s why it’s a team game," head coach Mike Brown said after Game 4.
Atlanta is attacking the star guard, and if New York wants to be leading this series 3-2, Brunson likely will have to step up his defensive game — or score enough to make it not matter.
Another storyline to watch in Game 5 is Mikal Bridges. The 29-year-old played just five minutes in the second half of Game 3, failing to record a point all night. Miles McBride has stepped up amid Bridges' struggles, but Brown kept Bridges in the starting lineup in Game 4 and likely will do the same Tuesday night.
"We've won a lot of games with the starting group. I didn't want to panic and just change anything. Obviously, we changed some stuff strategy-wise, but I didn’t want to change anything with the starting group because I didn’t feel a need to," Brown said.
For Karl-Anthony Towns, the New York Knicks have to exceed the moment, and coming into Game 4 understanding the magnitude of it delivered a big win to even their series with the Hawks.
Atlanta Hawks Game 5 preview
The Hawks could use some McCollum magic in Manhattan.
But they also could use a Nickeil Alexander-Walker wake-up game. The NBA's most improved player has struggled from the floor in this series, shooting just 5-22 (22.7%) on two-pointers, lower than half his regular season efficiency (career-high 52.5%).
Atlanta likely will try to play a little faster and have more energy in Game 5. The Hawks had zero fast-break points through three quarters of Game 4, ending the game with just seven. They had 20 fast-break points in their Game 2 and 3 wins over the Knicks. And they averaged 18.1 fast-break points in the regular season, third in the NBA behind only the Raptors and the Heat.
“I think they just punked us. We didn’t match their intensity from the jump," Jalen Johnson said after Game 4.
A player who has brought the intensity all series is Jonathan Kuminga. He has emerged as one of Atlanta's X-factors since a midseason trade from the Warriors. Coming off the bench all four games this series, he scored 19 points in Game 2 and 21 in Game 3, both wins. He only scored 10 points in Game 1 and eight in Game 4, both losses.
"Jonathan's just been all in. Whatever that looks like on a given night, and it's something we've talked about as a team," head coach Quinn Snyder said after Game 3. "Are you prepared to sacrifice what needs to be sacrificed on a given night in a playoff game?"
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the first round and 11 games in the conference semifinals across NBC, NBCSN and Peacock. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock.
Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including the first round, the conference semifinals and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
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