New York holds Atlanta to 19 points in the third quarter, then pulls away at beginning of fourth quarter to take a 1-0 lead in the first-round series.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s sports staff breaks down the Hawks-Knicks playoff matchup, the key players and series predictions from around the newsroom.

The backcourt chemistry between veterans Nickeil Alexander-Walker and CJ McCollum has been a big piece of the Hawks' run to the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani pointed to former Hawks guard Trae Young when asked about high tickets prices ahead of the NBA playoffs. Young responded to the comments.

New NBA broadcast contracts mean that the Hawks' first-round series against the Knicks will be available on multiple streaming platforms and networks.

The Hawks are not favored to win their first-round playoff series against the Knicks, but one anonymous NBA scout thinks the Hawks' chemistry and defense give them a chance.

Hawks coach Quin Snyder guided a turnaround that had Atlanta 20-6 after the All-Star break, the third-best record in the NBA. A playoff series vs. the Knicks is next.

The Hawks became the third team in NBA history to finish 10-plus games over .500 after being four or more games under .500 at the All-Star break.

Though the upcoming series will have its difficulties, a path to the Eastern Conference semifinals won’t be impossible.