The Atlanta Hawks opened up their 2026 playoff bout with a lackluster outing versus the New York Knicks. From tip-off, it was clear that Atlanta was unable to match the pace of the Knicks, never recovering from their early deficit, and ultimately losing 113-102.
However, one of the more interesting aspects of Game 1 of this series was Quin Snyder's rotation. As a coach who typically spreads the love, Snyder leaned heavily on his starting five in this game, each logging an average of 37 minutes in Game 1. With only nine players in the lineup for this game, the only bench player who got a significant opportunity was Jonathan Kuminga, who logged 27 minutes.
Despite a hefty workload, Kuminga scored less than 10 points with poor efficiency numbers. Kuminga has expressed his desire to be the star of a playoff offense in the past, and this was perhaps his greatest opportunity to prove his worth, but he ultimately couldn't capitalize.
Atlanta will need valuable bench production moving forward
When Atlanta initially acquired Jonathan Kuminga back in February, the plan was for Kuminga to be able to make an impact almost immediately.
Through the back half of the regular season, Kuminga certainly was a key contributor toward Atlanta's late-season playoff push, likely a big reason for his extended minutes in his Hawks playoff debut.
But so far through one game, Kuminga's impact was minuscule to say the least. Kuminga finished the game with eight points and four rebounds, shooting 3-of-7 from the field. Yet, he still put up more points than the rest of the bench combined.
With likely only four bench players seeing the court in this series, Atlanta will need more output outside of their starters if they wish to keep up with New York's physicality and pace.
More specifically, Kuminga will be expected to take on this responsibility for the bench, as the three guys below him, Mo Gueye, Gabe Vincent, and Zaccharie Risacher, only logged a combined 28 minutes in Game 1.
It's time for Kuminga to get going
For a player who has expressed this much desire to be a focal point, Kuminga cannot afford to disappear now. This window of opportunity could close quickly for Kuminga if he fails to capitalize in Games 2 or 3. Quin Snyder looks to be sticking with his same game plan ahead of Game 2 at Madison Square Garden, so the door is still open for Kuminga to elevate himself into his desired role.
The Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks face off at 7 p.m. EST, and Kuminga's output will be a big determinant for his minutes for the rest of this series. Kuminga has every opportunity to be "the guy" tonight, but it's up to him to take that step up and truly grow into this offensive focal point that he wishes to be.
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