Hawks and Knicks, five years later. Each squad looks drastically different from the last time they met in the postseason. New York is no longer led by Julius Randle, and more notably, Atlanta is no longer led by Trae Young.
Knicks fans know exactly what Young is capable of under the brightest lights, but they won't have to deal with his showmanship this time around. He's a Wizard, and the Hawks have a brand new core. It's not just any group, though. They've been one of the best in the NBA since the All-Star break. The one question that remains, however, is whether they have a killer. A silencer.
Someone's going to have to channel their inner Ice Trae this postseason
It's a difficult tag to live up to, sure, but many of these guys are capable. Young dominated the Knicks in his first-ever playoff appearance. He showed that it's possible to make an early-career statement as bold as stepping into Madison Square Garden and taking over.
What if it doesn't have to be a player making their first postseason appearance? Someone in the back half of their career, solidifying what they've built on the biggest stage, could form an even better story. The Hawks always have that guy. Players with a chip on their shoulders are easy to root for, and they're usually built for moments like these.
Time to channel this energy once more, even in a post-Young era. https://t.co/CFw0DqNAeV pic.twitter.com/92O1ukXrK1
— Zach Langley (@ZachLangleyNBA) April 13, 2026
The key difference between the 2021 Hawks and the 2026 Hawks is the roster construction. Instead of just one primary offensive engine, Atlanta now has several. Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and CJ McCollum are all capable offensive weapons.
Each of those players possess an interesting storyline, too. Perhaps the most interesting one, however, would be that of McCollum. In year 13, he's in a situation far from anything else he's experienced in his career.
CJ McCollum taking over in New York is almost too good to be true
He's had an impressive career, no doubt, but one thing he's been limited in is playoff success. That's not to discredit his ten appearances, but there was always a ceiling on the squads he was a part of. The 2026 Atlanta Hawks don't have a ceiling.
Knicks fans always need someone to heckle, and the idea of McCollum being that guy this time around is a realistic scenario. His experience is going to go a long way for this mostly young Hawks squad, and if he gets going early, the boos in New York will be louder than ever.
Nothing will every truly live up to the dominance that Trae Young showcased at MSG in 2021, but McCollum and the Hawks have an even better opportunity to send the Knicks into yet another rebuild.
Add us as a preferred source on Google