The Atlanta Hawks played their first playoff game since 2023 on Saturday. They fell to the New York Knicks, 113-102, in a raucous Madison Square Garden. The Hawks struggled to generate consistent half-court offense throughout the contest. Plus, New York’s physical brand of defense bothered Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jalen Johnson, the Hawks’ top two scorers, for most of the game.
The Knicks did exactly what they were supposed to do: protect home court. If Atlanta wants to steal that advantage heading back to State Farm Arena, it must make key adjustments on both ends of the floor in Game 2.
Hawks Must Fix These 3 Things After Game 1 Loss To Knicks
Hawks Lost the Game 1 Fastbreak Points
Atlanta consistently ranked inside the top five in pace throughout the 2025-26 campaign. The Hawks finished fifth in pace this season and third in fastbreak points, averaging 18.1 transition points per game. In contrast, the Knicks finished with the sixth-slowest pace in the league. The Hawks rely on easy buckets in transition off steals and pushing the ball up the floor quickly after securing a defensive rebound.
However, New York edged Atlanta in fastbreak points, 22-13, in Game 1. The Knicks normally prefer playing a slow, grind-it-out half-court game. This allows Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns to carve up opposing defenses in the pick-and-roll/pop. The Hawks cannot allow New York to win this category. The Knicks already have the advantage when it comes to half-court offense.
If the Hawks make this a long series, they must win the fastbreak points more often than not. In the second half of Game 1, they fell into the Knicks’ trap of playing slower, more isolation-based basketball. While CJ McCollum‘s shot-making in the first half kept the Hawks in the game, some of those same looks bounced off the rim in the second. He finished with 26 points on 11-of-20 shooting.
The Hawks shot just 41.9% from the field with 12 assists in the final two frames. Atlanta thrives off of ball movement and getting into its sets quickly while the defense is still getting back. It must find a way to speed up New York, which could lead to some turnovers and easy looks on the break.
Hawks Must Prevent Switches on Jalen Brunson Screens
Brunson scored a game-high 28 points on Saturday, including 19 in the first quarter. On the surface, some fans might say Dyson Daniels, last season’s Most Improved Player, had a poor defensive night against the Knicks star. However, according to Second Spectrum data, Brunson scored just two points when Daniels was his primary defender.
Per Second Spectrum data, Jalen Brunson scored 2 points in Game 1 when Dyson Daniels was tracked as the primary defender. https://t.co/GNDllMjbm7
— Brad Rowland (@BTRowland) April 19, 2026
Brunson scored most of his buckets after the Knicks set numerous on-ball screens to get Daniels off of him. The three-time All-Star took advantage when the smaller McCollum switched onto him, routinely getting to his spots in the mid-range and paint. Brunson started the night 6-of-6 from the field.
Despite Brunson’s strong scoring night, he shot just 1-of-11 over the final three quarters. The Hawks had much better communication and screen navigation, keeping Daniels or Alexander-Walker attached to the star guard. If they carry that same process into Game 2, Brunson is unlikely to start the game on fire.
Jalen Johnson Must Lock in on Defense
Johnson guarded Josh Hart, a low-volume three-point shooter, for most of the contest. When Towns drove the ball at Onyeka Okongwu, the Hawks’ All-Star looked to be in a prime position to help many times. He could leave Hart open from beyond the arc but did not step in to cut Towns off or rotate from the weak side.
3️⃣2️⃣+1️⃣😤 pic.twitter.com/jzLHNXXt4y
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) April 19, 2026
While Okongwu held Towns to just six points in the first half, the Knicks’ star center scored 19 in the second. Towns consistently put his head down and did not shy away from contact against the smaller Okongwu. If Johnson matches up with Hart again in Game 2, he needs to be more active defensively.
© Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
