Knicks vs. Hawks: 3 things to know, prediction for 1st-round series

It was back in early January when New York Knicks owner James Dolan set the expectations for this season.

Essentially, it boiled down to Finals or bust.

The Knicks last year advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, but fell short of making it farther. That prompted the firing of coach Tom Thibodeau.

The Knicks hired Mike Brown, and established a new standard.

So can the Knicks live up to Dolan’s expectations?

Apr 6, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles against Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

They’ll look to take the first step by beating the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, a series that begins April 18 (6 p.m., Amazon Prime) at Madison Square Garden.

Here are three things to know about the series:

1. How Knicks and Hawks got here

The Knicks finished the regular season 53-29, owners of the third seed in the East. They went through some turbulence during the season adjusting to Brown’s system – especially Karl-Anthony Towns – but figured things out as the year progressed. They also made some critical defensive adjustments.

Still, the Knicks, who won the NBA Cup, proved to be among the most dangerous teams in the league.

The Hawks went 46-36 to earn the sixth seed.

Atlanta got hot at the right time, going 19-6 in their final 25 games (it should be noted that the quality of opponents wasn’t strong).

The Hawks traded point guard to the in January and that moved seem to provide a spark.