Well, this looks awfully familiar.
For the second consecutive year, the New York Knicks finished the NBA season with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference and home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
This time around, Jalen Brunson and co. are going head-to-head with Jalen Johnson’s Atlanta Hawks.
Game one at Madison Square Garden is scheduled to go down Saturday, April 18 at 6 p.m. EST; all other contests are TBD at the time of publication.
If you’d like to be in the building to watch the series unfold live, tickets are available for all four hypothetical Divisional Round showdowns at MSG.
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on seats for any one game was $334 including fees on StubHub.
Fans hoping to attend a high-stakes matchup in Atlanta can snag tickets for as low as $93 including fees.
Over the course of the regular season, the Knicks and Hawks met three times. New York won two those three contests including their final meeting, a 108-105 nail biter on April 6 at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena.
In that squeaker, the Hawks held a five-point lead with 3:15 on the clock but New York pulled away as Brunson scored seven consecutive points to put the Knicks ahead 102-100. Although Atlanta got close — and even tied the game — Mike Brown’s squad never looked back after Big Body’s heroics.
“It wasn’t necessarily going his way the whole night. But he stayed with it and did what great players are supposed to do and carried us home down the stretch,” coach Mike Brown said.
Major factors for this divisional round include Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns’ continued dominance against Atlanta and…the Hawks’ speed. Quin Snyder’s club ranked fifth in pace (Editor’s note: an advanced statistic measuring the estimated number of possessions a team has per 48 minutes) compared to New York’s 25th.
And, while we can’t predict for certain how this series will shake out, we do know the energy at the Garden will be electric.
Want to be there?
Our team has everything you need to know and more about the Knicks vs. Hawks 2026 NBA Playoffs Divisional Round series below.
New York Knicks playoff home game tickets
A complete calendar including all announced Knicks home game dates and the best prices on tickets can be found here:
| Knicks home game dates | Ticket prices start at |
|---|---|
| Game One Saturday, April 18 at 6 p.m. | $375 (including fees) |
| Game Two TBD | $334 (including fees) |
| Game Five TBD | $370 (including fees) |
| Game Seven TBD | $478 (including fees) |
Atlanta Hawks playoff home game tickets
All Hawks playoff home game dates and the cheapest tickets available can be found below.
| Detroit Pistons home game dates | StubHub prices start at |
|---|---|
| Game Three TBD | $93 (including fees) |
| Game Four TBD | $95 (including fees) |
| Game Six TBD | $104 (including fees) |
How to watch the Knicks and Hawks on TV
Fans hoping to catch Brown’s ballers on the tube can watch all first-round playoff games on MSG, ABC, ESPN, TNT, Prime Video, NBC and NBA TV.
Just make sure to review your local listings before tuning in.
If you don’t have cable, your best bet may be DIRECTV.
About Knicks-Hawks
As noted above, the Knicks and Hawks went toe-to-toe thrice in the 2025-26 NBA season.
New York won the first game, a 128-125 thriller on Dec. 27. KAT scored 36 points and pulled 15 boards to lead the way for the Knickerbockers.
Atlanta won contest number two, a 111-99 victory in NYC. Although Brunson led all scorers with 24, the Hawks prevailed and led by more than 20 points late into the third quarter.
Finally, New York won game three; the aforementioned 108-105 dub on April 6.
Also, of note: Quinn Snyder’s team sat their starters to lose their final regular game of the season and set up this matchup.
“We didn’t pay any attention to that,” Jordan Clarkson said. “It’s just what they wanted to do.”
This Divisional Round series will be the first time the two Eastern Conference foes have met in the postseason since 2021. Atlanta won that series 4-1 behind a sterling effort from Trae Young.
According to Sports Illustrated, oddsmakers are expecting this “dogfight” to “go at least six games.”
2026 NBA playoff schedule
Been meaning to see who’s on the playoff bubble?
Check out the NBA’s 2026 playoff hopefuls here.
Huge concerts at MSG in 2026
Not sure what to do once the final buzzer sounds on the 2025-26 NBA season?
MSG has you covered.
The legendary venue has booked a number of exciting acts to entertain audiences all summer long.
Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.
• Bon Jovi (July 7-9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26)
• Earth Wind and Fire with Lionel Richie (July 11)
• Phish (July 22, 24, 25, 27, 29)
• RUSH (July 28, 30, Aug. 1, 3)
• J. Cole (Aug. 2, 4)
Want to see who else is Big Apple-bound? Check out this list of all the upcoming events at Madison Square Garden to find the show for you.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.