Kristian Winfield: Knicks look the part of NBA title contenders in wide-open East

Whoever wins that series, provided the two teams make it there, is the strong favorite to win the East, which means if the Knicks handle business, they’ll be on pace to roll all the way to the NBA Finals, the franchise’s first appearance since 1999.

For them to do so, they’ll need to be much more efficient on the defensive end in the second round. Because the Celtics, provided they close-out the 76ers, have the kind of shooters the Hawks don’t. They have battle-tested franchise cornerstones unlike the Hawks, whose best player — Jalen Johnson — has succumbed to the butterflies of a first-ever playoff appearance.

Atlanta shot 13-of-42 from 3-point range in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. The Hawks shot 10-of-41 in Game 4, a respectable 13-of-33 in Game 3, 9-of-30 in Game 2 and 14-of-37 from deep in Game 1. Coincidentally, the Hawks’ two victories this series came in the only games they converted at a decent rate from downtown.

And Johnson, who averaged a near triple double in a breakout season in Atlanta, shot 41.9% from the field through the first four games. On Tuesday, he finished the night minus-18. That won’t happen against Boston. The Celtics are out for the very blood they gave the Knicks last year.

A reminder: The Celtics ranked third in 3-pointers made and fourth in 3s attempted during the regular season, while the Knicks were bottom-10 in opponent 3-pointers made during the season and 11th in opponent 3-point percentage.

The Celtics have also been one of the more consistent teams in all of basketball, securing the East’s No. 2 seed despite a series of roster moves in the wake of Tatum’s unfortunate Achilles injury. This was supposed to be a gap year in Boston. Instead, they are trying to leapfrog the Knicks in the race to the NBA Finals.

If these Knicks show up — the same Knicks who’ve made a mockery of the Hawks over the last two games — the series could be an encore performance from last season.

These Knicks run offense through Karl-Anthony Towns, who flirted with another triple-double before finishing with 16 points, 14 rebounds and six assists on the night. These Knicks don’t sit around and watch Jalen Brunson pound the ball into oblivion. Brunson finished with 39 points on 15-of-23 shooting from the field, but his looks weren’t as difficult. He’s evolving on the fly.

The Knicks of the last two games don’t look anything like the Knicks of Games 2 and 3. These Knicks look more complete, more willing to sacrifice for one another.

Only one question remains: Is this the Knicks team that will show up every night? Will these Knicks stick to the process when the competition stiffens in the second round?

Let’s not put the cart before the horse. These Knicks still need to close the Hawks out in hostile territory in Game 6. Otherwise, it’s win-or-go-home back at MSG. And under the pressure of a Game 7, there’s no telling what will happen.