The Knicks played 82 games to assure themselves of home court in the first round, and now is the time when that home court will hopefully pay off. Win here, and be just a single win from the second round, against a Celtics team that is suddenly sputtering a bit (or, in the alternative, just dealing with a spicy Sixers team).
Win this series, beat the Celtics, and then beat, like, the fucking Raptors for the Eastern Conference title.
Just do it.*
Let’s go, Knicks!
Getting my kicks with the Knicks winning in six!
*Note that I mean for the Knicks to just win the game. I am not signaling to any theoretical person to attack anyone.
197 replies on “2026 NBA Playoffs Round 1: Knicks vs. Hawks Game 5 – Time for Homecourt to Pay Off”
Don’t ask me why, but my gut is telling me we win the next two and take the series.
I’m usually wrong about things but I am duty-bound to report my prophecies honestly — this is what the basketball gods have told me.
Same. Well, the prediction part.
Happy Birthday, Doogie. May you stay forever young.
Thank you, sir—doing my best, and hope you are, as well.
Let’s go, Knicks!
https://x.com/WrldCade/status/2048958213127872996?s=20
Thanks, Pags.
Og is rebounding much better lately
Bridges has McCollum on him and doesn’t even try to make a move, just picks up his dribble and the offense grinds to a halt.
Looking more Brunson like than the last few games
He’s playing de facto center on defense. Not sure that’s why he’s rebounding better, but playing nearer to the hoop probably helps.
Agreed, Brunson looked locked in.
Not loving KATs non-aggression at this moment, moving Dyson on him is a fascinating choice and he should be punking him right now
mikal looks totally checked out, that’s crazy…
Reggie’s voice is killing me.
Quinn Snyder looks like an escapee from an insane asylum
Wingstop already sitting…
Nice energy to start the game. Just don’t let the Hawks run.
That was a terrible double team by Brunson. Like, why?
KAT is an offensive cheat code this series…feed him…
Brunson is not right
Yeah, our point-center, halfcourt offense looks stellar. More please.
I think Brunson’s ankle turned on that 3 point attempt that was for some reason not called a foul or reviewed for a flagrant.
Brunson’s ankle has to be bothering him, he can’t finish in the paint.
It really is crazy how much the NBA playoffs are just “Who can avoid getting hurt?”
Please, Dyson Daniels, continue to try to get to the basket for some dumb reason!
Strat has to do a shot every made Clarkson basket
I used to dread clarkson coming in for his shift, not so much anymore…
seems for every 2 baskets he lets in he’ll score or assist on at 3 least baskets…
he’s mathing in the right direction…
Mitch scared the shit out of CJ there.
Playing Daniels and Bradley together, I don’t know.
Vincent is a dirty little bastard
Heat culture
Mitch is imposing his will on this team!
If we keep bullying Jonathan Kuminga this badly maybe we can get Steve Kerr as our coach
Pags I think KAT figured out Kuminga.
That was an outstanding quarter. Really putting the Hawks in their place.
Og with a “get that shit out of here”
That was some quarter.
Now finish them, KAT.
Clarkson is really good with that floater in the paint.
Keep the knee on their throats………..
Gotta put our foot down and stomp on them. Give them no hope
I know I like it…
I’m just not sure about the weird Brunson doubles where he is caught in no man’s land. You don’t want the Hawks to get open 3s, that’s how they get into the game.
I want Kuminga to keep thinking he’s better than he is and continue to fire away
Clarkson > Mikal
basketball is a game of runs, usually…hopefully we get some buzzer to buzzer dominance this game…
KAT doing everything
ha atlanta, you don’t have a karl anthony towns on your roster, do you…
KAT’s the man.
I know Mikal sucks, but that wasn’t a foul on his fast break??
We’re looking very good right now, nice. 🙂 And Mikal goes to the hoop? 😮
My goodness, KAT.
I don’t know what a foul is anymore
KAT is playing like a fucking beast.
In fairness, there was quite a bit of contact in some Hawks drives with no calls either.
Its like hockey….no blood…no foul
KAT is a man possessed 🙂
Who knew in the NBA you are allowed to throw the ball into the post when your 7 foot 260 lb guy is checked by a 6’5″ waif?
KAT is doing whatever he wants.
My question for the group: am I over thinking the fact that he does shoot ever with his left hand? I notice that when he goes left, he moves the ball to his right hand, closer to the defender.
Is it just me ? Bothers me
I don’t like going to the double big here, KAT was dominating as the 5.
I like the Hawks more when they’re missing everything 😀
Bridges is playing fantastic defense.
I’ll give Bridges this much, he’s playing his ass off on defense
Mikal, man, you need to guard.
Edit: clearly I’m out of step with the rest of you.
Except for giving up the dunk there
Nice shift for Jose A
We gave up the dunk because they were trying to switch Alvarado onto Johnson, and Bridges tried to prevent it
OG with a man sized jam!
Is it me, or are KAT’s passing skills getting better?
c’mon philly…
I think he was always this good, but they chose not to use him as such. Remember his crazy assist in the Cup final?
Now this is fun to watch.
JVG would be proud of this Knicks defensive effort tonight.
This is the best this team has looked in a freaking long time. Dominating on both sides. It’s a sight to see.
No let up don’t let them even sniff a comeback
Just tuned it on. Like what I am seeing
Ill cop to recency bias but this is the best all around ball we’ve seen from KAT
They have to keep this 20 point lead at halftime. Don’t let up now.
Now we’re allowing wide open 3s…
Like why???? Don’t double team like that. It’s stupid. You are just creating an open 3 for the Hawks.
Why are we playing stupid defense now…
Can’t they see this early double team isn’t working?
That’s not a foul on Deuce, come on
But we committed two dumb fouls earlier, Bridges on the offensive rebound for no reason, Brunson pushing down Daniels
Stupid defense allowed them to cut the lead by a lot. Why do they self-sabotage like that?
Reggie praying for a Hawks comeback
It’s so ridiculous to call fouls like that when Daniels is allowed to manhandle Brunson every single possession. Give me a break.
fuck, jalen brunson playing defense like clarkson: foul foul foul…
That was my favorite episode of Dexter.
That was a fairly long stretch of poor play on both ends. Still a 16 point lead, could have been worse
Philly all of a sudden whooping Boston late in the 4th quarter.
A little annoyed at the way they closed it, but there were parts of this quarter that were pure heaven.
The Hawks were completely unprepared for our key adjustment: benching the guy we traded five first round picks for
Jesus, KAT even sounds awesome in interviews now. Stop roping me in MFer.
16 pts at the break, nice. 🙂 It might be good that the Hawks took some pts off the lead, this way we can talk about it in the locker room.
Didn’t like the defense to end the quarter – too many easy shots – and the offense stalled a bit. Gotta keep the pressure on.
Meanwhile the plot thickens in Boston/Philly. Could get interesting…
josh, OG and KAT taking care of business…big assist from deuce, mitch, jose…heck even freaking jordan clarkson has shown up ready to go…
hopefully keep this thing rolling in the second half…
This is the series that KAT really needed to win over fans. Just close it out, and he’s gonna be good with the fans. Carrying the team on his back.
He played well at times last postseason, but this level of consistency on both sides? Wow.
Embiid doing what he’s been doing all year: missing most games, but being pretty impactful when he *does* play.
game 5 is a wrap in boston…good job philly…
11 points at home in the 4th quarter? Yikes!
Yes and Yes
I love the support from the past Knicks.
Basketball Gods being good to Doogie… the cake (Knicks W) and the cherry on top (Celtics L). 😀
Wow, celticsblogger.net must be on fire! 😉 😛
This really has been what I thought the whole series would be.
Okongwo is like Steph from 3P land now !?
STOP DOUBLE TEAMING. Jesus.
I hate bridges
Ok time to put not-Mikal in
I like it better when it’s the other team missing FTs 😀
Hawks staying alive due to lucky deflections.
With the way KAT is playing, i’ll forgive him for this super long 3PAs
I’m from the time when Mikal was one of the best in corner 3s, not even that anymore.
Mikal dunked?!?
Ok not-Mikal is in now
I feel like the Knicks are playing high variance defence (double teams, gambling for steals), which ends up benefitting the Hawks: high variance is the only way they get into it.
Looked like Mikal blew us a kiss after that dunk LOL
OG was watching that Suni Lee video on repeat at halftime
it’s weird cyber, it’s just a thing when he plays against us…
He’s playing the no KAT no JB lineup again, more or less at the same time he tried it in Game 2. Jeez.
Play a low variance game and you win it.
Mitch looks like he’s having fun out there
Mitch, that was beautiful, you look like a graceful zeppelin
Best way to put a smile on my face, throw a lob to Mitch 🙂
What if Cam Schlittler is a top-5 starter in baseball.
We clearly are legit on D. I don’t like continuing to double up top every time, because they’re learning to exploit it; we should vary it possession to possession. But our hands are everywhere. Has to be a season high on deflections.
Mitch past couple of months with all these alley oop and putback dunks is looking like young Mitch.
how in the world are the yankees winning without a lead off hitter…
This lineup ain’t it
What Brown is doing is like when Aaron Boone tries to steal an out with a starter that should be out of the game.
Thankfully it didn’t bite them and KAT is back in.
Call me crazy but the Alvarado-Deuce-Clarkson-OG-Mitch lineup actually seems to make sense to me for a few minutes. The defense was awesome.
The offense stagnates every time.
We all get McNuggets right?
CJ coming back down to Earth has been a nice adjustment.
The all-defense lineup held its own and burned some minutes
Kat attacking that stiff Bradley…good to see
Alvie…won’t be denied
Hawks 4-11 from the line
They’re practically begging to get blown out
OG has been rebounding a lot better lately. He even looks a bit better shooting off the dribble. If it’s not just noise, he’s slowly becoming more than just an elite role player. He’s becoming a star player.
Alvarado has been huge these past 2 games.
I love Alvarado. What a pickup that was.
Maybe throw Josh in for some pace.
Just saying I see the thought process. It can’t be fun to play against.
Not saying Brown is Coach of the Year or anything but maybe we can stop bitching about his lineups for a while
Boooooooo on that foul
Refs trying to keep this interesting
Weak ass foul
Clarkson with the required brain fart. I can laugh about it with this lead. He owes OG a beer.
What kind of BS call is that?
That 3 should have counted, as NAW flopped.
Should have been +5 for the third quarter, but +2 ain’t bad. We should run out some starters + Deuce minutes
If Jose can play like this, I think it can work. But game 2 turned when he played that lineup. He at least needs to have a quick hook and put KAT in if it’s not working.
Yeah, it’s not only KAT, i think Brown is figuring it out too.
Huh??? Hawks have been fouling all game and they call THAT on the Knicks? What a buzzkill, that would’ve been a demoralizing 3
Brunson seems to be playing in the flow of the game, that’s nice to see.
What do you mean, “What if?”
Mitch oop! Like it like it like it like it.
I’m not sold on it yet, MarechaL, but I’m not allergic to it, either. Seems like it’s a tweak away from being an innings eater.
Alvarado-Deuce-OG-Mitch is a hellacious D lineup. We just need to figure out the right 5th guy. God forbid Mikal…
The whole point of that stupid trade was for Mikal to run these lineups. Jeez.
Cap looks fine
But who the hell is guarding JJJ?
Clarkson miss was so bad that the Hawks couldn’t focus on grabbing the ball 😀
Clarkson has been fine, but he shouldn’t be getting Deuce’s minutes
Yeah I guess Brunson’s ankle is alright.
I know he’s scoring really well tonight, but I can’t even watch Brunson anymore. We aren’t going anywhere playing like that once the competition gets elite.
Excellent Brunson game.
Jalen mojo intact
If there was a dislike button everyone should press it on Strat’s last comment…
I love that Jalen passed out of that obvious heat check for the 3-on-2 that got Clarkson a layup.
Now this is more like Brian said it would be… just us dominating all aspects of the game.
You are one of one this time, Strat
Srsly bro
Exactly. Opportunity to do a heat check, Brunson made the winning play.
Since there is no dislike button everyone should like BBA’s comment instead
Noone commented that Reggie was a big Clyde fan when
He was a kid?
Yeah Strat go watch the superior Cade Cunningham turn the ball over 17 times in 2 games, much easier on the eyes.
This assist was for Strat 😉 😛
Give me a 30 point lead.
I turned on the Spanish announcers in the 1Q
Put the 2nd team on the court
Brunson back to locker room to get ice on that ankle asap
Sochaaaaaan
Apparently Hart went to the locker room earlier in 4th quarter, beat writers think he might’ve hurt his back.
The only annoying thing is that this game should have ended the series.
We are sooo much better than the Hawks
Sochan MVP of garbage time 😀
You can see his teammates are trying to get Sochan some shots. Which he’s making, nice to see.
🙁
Yeah. Sochan looked great.
HOW DID WE LOSE THOSE TWO GAMES??? Ugh I guess a little adversity woke them up but still could’ve finished them with a gentlemen’s sweep or better. Looks like our guys could use a few days off.
Philly winning tonight was huge for long-term outlook
Strat watching Brunson put belt to ass to go up 3-2 in the playoffs
Double teaming the point of attack was giving the Hawks open shot after open shot but they couldn’t convert to make it interesting. Other than that, the Knicks defense was as good as I have seen it in a very long time. As of Brunson, who has taken so much heat lately, yeah, he is alive!
“Rumors about my death have been greatly exaggerated”
~ Mark Twain
Towns
7 shots?
Who cares? This isn’t about individual achievement. Hawks altered their game plan to deal with him; Knicks adjusted.
On defense, I think the idea was to keep McCollum from getting rolling at all costs. They wouldn’t let him beat them. And that seems to have worked…. Though yes, we gave them open looks they couldn’t convert on, and that might not always be the case.
Yay. Hbd Doogie.
Knicks forced the Hawks to play half court, outscored the Hawks 13-4 on the fast break. Really nice defensive effort
If you are complaining about Brunson tonight that is really dumb. They couldn’t guard him tonight and were putting more emphasis on Towns. Brunson responded correctly. Seriously, stop whining on a game we won by almost 30.
Brunson had 8 assists tonight.
Thank you, Clarence.
Outstanding win all around—I’m trying not to worry too much about Hart. Let’s get this thing done on Thursday night and home that Boston/Philly goes 7.
Shit my bad doogie I have to wish you a happy birthday before midnight!
LOL You made it, BBA. Whew!
(And thank you.)
Brunson was also a +23, highest on team so maybe we should be ok with that, no?
Looks like they thought they can conserve some energy for later rounds against the Hawks, at least in first three games…they remembered how they got eliminated because they were exhausted, injured or flat last year and the year before. Playoffs are such a blodbath and you really have to put yourself in a position to be lucky to beat a better opponent or be way, way better than the opponent to beat them. Knicks are way better team than the Hawks. In playoffs you can not coast…you need at least 10 deep team to get you to the finals healthy. I hope that Hawks know they can’t beat the Knicks and let it go already.
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