As the 2026 NBA Playoffs tip off, the longstanding rivalry between the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks has received an unexpected boost from New York City politics. On Thursday, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani was asked about the glaring disparity in playoff ticket prices between Madison Square Garden and State Farm Arena. Entry-level tickets in New York cost about $380-$400, compared to about $80 in Atlanta for comparable seats.

Mamdani, a vocal Knicks supporter, responded with a humorous quip:

“I would say that I blame Trae Young… and I think it’s always important to blame Trae Young.”

The former Hawks star, now playing for the Washington Wizards, wasted no time firing back. On Thursday night, Trae Young posted on X (formerly Twitter):

“Remember what happened the last time the Mayor of that City had my name in his mouth during a time like this #DontBlameMeWhenItHappensAgain.”

The reference pointed squarely to the 2021 Eastern Conference first-round series. Then-Mayor Bill de Blasio publicly urged Young to “stop hunting for fouls” and “play the game the right way,” criticizing the guard’s crafty drives that drew frequent whistles. De Blasio’s comments came amid the Knicks fans’ frustration as Young torched New York. What followed was a memorable upset as the Hawks eliminated the higher-seeded Knicks 4-1, with Young averaging 29.2 points and 9.8 assists on 34.1% shooting from beyond the arc in that series.

Five years later, New York enters as the No. 3 seed and is once again the heavy favorite against No. 6 Atlanta. Mamdani’s lighthearted blame and Young’s swift comeback have added extra spice to what promises to be an entertaining opening-round series, which begins with Game 1 on Saturday, April 18, at MSG. As the mayor might now agree, sometimes it really is always important to blame Young, at least for the banter.

As the 2026 NBA Playoffs tip off, the longstanding rivalry between the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks has received an unexpected boost from New York City politics. On Thursday, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani was asked about the glaring disparity in playoff ticket prices between Madison Square Garden and State Farm Arena.