{"id":701046,"date":"2026-04-06T07:57:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T07:57:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/701046\/"},"modified":"2026-04-06T07:57:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T07:57:22","slug":"knicks-hawks-meet-in-potential-playoff-preview-field-level-media-professional-sports-content-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/701046\/","title":{"rendered":"Knicks, Hawks meet in potential playoff preview – Field Level Media – Professional sports content solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a potential Eastern Conference first-round playoff preview, the visiting New York Knicks look to slow down the streaking Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.<\/p>\n

New York (50-28) owns a 1 1\/2-game lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers for the No. 3 spot in the East entering Sunday\u2019s play. Atlanta (45-33) currently nurses a 1 1\/2-game lead over Toronto for fifth.<\/p>\n

The Knicks have won consecutive games over the ailing Memphis Grizzlies and Chicago Bulls, but they\u2019re finishing the regular season with four straight against postseason-bound opponents.<\/p>\n

Last time out, New York led by as many as 47 points during Friday\u2019s 136-96 win over Chicago. While first-year head coach Mike Brown understands the road gets harder from here on out, the team is building good habits at the right time.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not going to jump on people 38-16 every game, but hopefully we continue with the same mindset to start games,\u201d Brown said. \u201cWith the same sense of urgency, sense of physicality, making our opponents feel us, while trying to get out in transition and share the basketball the way we did.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Knicks are also hoping to submit a clean injury report ahead of Monday night. The team has enjoyed the return of Miles McBride (12.1 points per game), who underwent hernia surgery in early February.<\/p>\n

While McBride works back into the rotation, Karl-Anthony Towns\u2019 status is up in the air. Towns didn\u2019t play against Chicago with an elbow injury and is listed as questionable against Atlanta.<\/p>\n

Towns averages 20.1 points and a team-high 11.9 rebounds per contest. Jalen Brunson leads the Knicks with 26 points and 6.7 assists per game.<\/p>\n

Atlanta, meanwhile, continues to play as well as any team in the East. The Hawks have won 13 straight home games \u2014 the franchise\u2019s longest streak since winning 14 in a row in the 2009-10 season.<\/p>\n

Head coach Quin Snyder\u2019s team has gone 18-2 since Feb. 22, with 16 of those wins coming by double digits.<\/p>\n

Arguably the most impressive facet of the team\u2019s turnaround is how little time Atlanta\u2019s core has had together. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who was signed in the offseason, averages a career-high 20.6 points and has become a candidate for the league\u2019s Most Improved Player award.<\/p>\n

CJ McCollum (18.6 ppg in 38 games for Atlanta) came over in a January trade that sent Trae Young to the Washington Wizards. The team also picked up Jonathan Kuminga (11.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg in 13 games for the Hawks) at the trade deadline from the Golden State Warriors.<\/p>\n

In total, the Hawks\u2019 current roster has nine players that weren\u2019t on the 2024-25 squad.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fact that our group has connected the way they have in a short period of time really speaks to those guys in the locker room,\u201d Snyder said. \u201cThere\u2019s a foundation that we\u2019ve tried to lay. They\u2019ve embraced one another as much as anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

The emergence of fifth-year Atlanta forward Jalen Johnson hasn\u2019t hurt, either. Johnson paces the Hawks with 22.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and eight assists per game.<\/p>\n

Johnson has compiled five double-doubles in his last six outings and 13 triple-doubles this season.<\/p>\n

\u2013Field Level Media<\/p>\n

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