Game three of the Hawks series against the New York Knicks is set for tomorrow night and it represents a huge opportunity for Atlanta. The Hawks came into this series as the underdog, but they got what they wanted out of the first two games, splitting them with the Knicks on the road and earning homecourt advantage. Now, they have a chance to get the series lead and put the pressure on a Knicks team that some were picking to reach the NBA Finals coming into the postseason.
In the dramatic game two victory, the Hawks tinkered with their lineup a little bit to close the game. Dyson Daniels, one of the top players on the Hawks roster, did not close the game for the Hawks and was instead replaced by Jonathan Kuminga. That has led some to speculate if Kuminga would jump into the starting lineup for this series, but I am here to argue that is not going to happen.
Staying steady
Apr 20, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) looks to pass the ball against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the first quarter of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
While I do think the Hawks found something in playing Kuminga and letting him guard Karl-Anthony Towns, I think him closing the last game has more to do with how the game was flowing and how head coach Quin Snyder wanted to stick with what is working. Given Kuminga’s inconsistencies as a player, I don’t think it would be wise to make a knee jerk reaction and put him in the starting lineup based off one game.
The other reason is that the Hawks’ starting lineup was one of the best in the NBA heading into the postseason, and over their last 30 games heading into the playoffs, they were one of the NBA’s best.
The Hawks’ starting lineup of CJ McCollum, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Onyeka Okongwu played 30 games together for a total of 391 minutes. Of all five-man lineups who have played at least 200 total minutes together, Atlanta’s group of McCollum, Alexander-Walker, Daniels, Johnson, and Okongwu owned the best defensive rating (102.8), the second-best net rating (20.3), and fourth-best offensive rating (123.1).
That does not mean that the Hawks may not close with Kuminga over someone in the starting lineup, but Daniels is really the only candidate to be taken out. As much as they have struggled in the first two games, the Hawks cannot afford to take out either Alexander-Walker or Johnson, Okongwu is the only reliable big they have available right now, and CJ McCollum’s performances in the first two games should make this self explanatory.
The playoffs are a time when coaches may tinker or do other things with their starting lineups or rotations, but I don’t think the Hawks are at that point just yet.
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