The New York Knicks are set to play against the Atlanta Hawks in the playoffs, following a successful regular season where they won 53 games and the NBA Cup title. The Knicks, who have a first-year coach Mike Brown, brought back their entire starting five, including All-Stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson, from the team that reached the East finals last year for the first time since 2000. The Atlanta Hawks, who used a strong second half of the season to secure their first Southeast Division title since 2021, finished 46-36, their best record in a decade. The series features two of the best players in the East.