Knicks Host Hawks in Eastern Conference Playoff Game 1

The New York Knicks will host the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday evening at Madison Square Garden for Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series, marking the start of New York's push for an NBA Finals appearance after a 53-29 regular season that secured the No. 3 seed.

The Knicks, who won the inaugural NBA Cup in December but refused to hang a banner in deference to greater postseason ambitions, enter the playoffs under first-year coach Mike Brown. Brown replaced Tom Thibodeau, who was dismissed despite guiding New York to the conference finals last season for the first time since 2000. Owner James Dolan has set a high bar, stating in January that the team is positioned to win a championship. The Knicks boast a seasoned core, including All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, along with OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and center Mitchell Robinson. Brunson averaged 26 points per game, ranking 10th in the league, while Towns topped 20 points for the 10th straight season. New York's offense ranked fourth in efficiency, with the team finishing fifth in net rating overall. As Towns put it, "At the end of the day, we'll be judged on what we do on this run."