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2026 NBA Playoffs Round 1: Knicks @ Hawks Game 4 – Time to Retake Control of the Series

Okay, it’s time for the Knicks to even this series, and take home court advantage back.

For all the pathetic nature of the Knicks’ last two losses, we’re talking two ONE POINT losses. The Hawks are barely getting past the Knicks. So it is time for the Knicks to remind them that they are so much more talented.

The Pistons are down 2-1. The Celtics barely beat the Sixers in Game 3. The Eastern Conference is up for grabs, and the Knicks need to take hold of the reins today, and start to impose their will, and win this series.

It all begins here.

Let’s go, Knicks!

204 replies on “2026 NBA Playoffs Round 1: Knicks @ Hawks Game 4 – Time to Retake Control of the Series”

Mike Brown has decided it’s best to go back to the negative 7.4 starting lineup . I kind of remember that was an issue last year and it led to a pink slip.

Brown is all froze up…just like his team…weren’t we the battled tested veteran squad…not gonna flinch?

“Mike Brown has decided it’s best to go back to the negative 7.4 starting lineup . I kind of remember that was an issue last year and it led to a pink slip.”

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!

Ugh

You will soon find out Mike Brown is a puppet who was hired by Rose because he would listen to his commands. Benching Mikal is bad optics for Rose.

You can’t bench Mikal, he’s a dawg.

A Lhasa Apso is still a dawg. Technically.

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Try to give Mikal some touches early in the game (KAT as well), if he responds on both ends, good. If not, bench him.

Can’t believe what I’ve been reading on the game threads. WTF has been going on? Decided to pull an all-nighter (in Europe) to see this mess for myself.

Go Knicks! (Or else.)

I don’t get it. I thought Brown was supposed to be a stats coach. What’s the purpose if we never use the stats

You can’t bench Mikal, he’s a dawg

A Lhasa Apso is still a dawg. Technically.

He played last game like he was dribbling and shooting with paws

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Mikael scored! Hoist the banner!
Please Knicks be better (assisted baskets ftw)

OG looks great

It’s a very bad matchup for Jalen all over the court. Can barely see him when Daniels is guarding him.

Maybe Brown wants to enjoy a salary without having to work for a few years. He took out KAT and Brunson in the first quarter. WTF, man.

Starting lineup finally playing well so naturally make 4 subs including taking out both KAT and Brunson…

Mikal has only had 3 dunks over his past 21 playoff games. That was a small miracle.

Hawks only have 19 pts with less than 3 mins to play Knicks defense has been fine.

Look, they might win it, but there’s nothing here that tells me that their process has improved. The final offensive possessions were awful. They are saved by the Hawks going 3-12 from deep.

So we keep feeding Brunson to go one on one with the guy who can guard him one on one…hmmm

If the Knicks lose this series, Brunson will lose so much of the good will he has built over the years.

Scott foster has to retire on the basis of that call alone

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Mitch subsequently got pulled down by Okongwu…

Hart and OG carrying the team so far. Really inspired play from both of those guys

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Hart forgot how to shoot 3s again but he’s still playing fucking huge.

It’s the Walt Clyde Frazier philosophy.
You want the ball? Go get the ball.

Bridges cursing Daniels from the floor. Must have gotten some Josh Hart plasma after last game.

mikal bridges: fuck you fuck you fuck you…

first he shoots and makes a crazy circus shot on his ass looking away from the basket…

a while later while sitting on the floor, lets sone hawk know how he really feels…

let’s go mikal…fucking mister softie…

CJ has to start eventually missing some of these shots this is fucking ridiculous.

McCollum doing whatever he wants but good half overall. Protect ball better please

Offense works better when Jalen doesn’t intiate. He really cannot overcome Daniels’s D.

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I’d like to see the Knicks playing through KAT in the 3rd like they did in the 1st.

Atlanta has nobody of the size to cover KAT and OG together.

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This was an old school 90’s Knicks desperate playoff performance 1st half. Hopefully more of the same in the 2nd half.

for all those who thought we needed jalen to win a series…doesn’t seem that way so far this series…

Only Mikal has been a bigger negative among the starters

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We played with desperation and extra hustle and this is why we lead. Experience matters, plus our roster is vastly superior to theirs. We finally took it to Atlanta and made them look more stressed and worried than we are. I don’t know how long this will last. Snyder will make adjustments. I would love to see more KAT action down low. We went away from it in quarter two. The same with pressuring and trapping McCollum.

glad to see shamet shucked from the rotation…

clarkson has to stay playing, any made baskets are at a premium…jose has good effort, but bad height…

would like to see mo and tyler, don’t expect it though…

I’m worried Atlanta will eventually finds its outside shot, and this will be a game.

Starters minus Mikal plus Deuce was really effective in the fourth quarter yesterday. I think you gotta try that lineup again at some point

Despite the last shot yesterday, I’d still try Deuce on CJ more. At least he can keep in front of him.

I’m worried Atlanta will eventually finds its outside shot, and this will be a game.

Basically everybody outside of CJ can’t make a shot. It should be a 20 point lead

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CJ is 6”3 and not a great athlete . He wins on great footwork . Body him up

pick him up full court, don’t leave him…NAW is hitting, but after him not really anyone else is hot for them…

deny cj the ball as much as possible…make jalen johnson beat us…

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Brunson has like six turnovers almost all of them from bringing the ball up

My son, a relatively knew Knicks fan, told me from his dorm that while the Knicks are playing well, he’s just afraid they’ll revert back to bad play.
It caused me to laugh out loud.
Then I apologized to him for getting him into blue and orange…

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I know Alvarado isn’t that great, but that sneaky steal from behind play always fills me with joy

We’re hammering them right now, I love it. We really need to lean into our size advantage for the rest of the series.

KAT would be all world if he had a left hand. Everyone knows he will always, from wherever he is, finish with the right…

All of a sudden, stagnant O

I love Alvy, and I don’t want Brunson out, but I actually think Kolek is a good idea against this team. He straightens out our spacing and invites more cutting.

… or KAT can keep channeling Steve Nash

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I’m here now, you guys are doing a good job, if i see the lead shrinking, i’ll turn if off. 😉

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yeah, forget what i said about getting tyler some run over jose, dumb idea…

let’s just keep rolling with grand theft…

credit to the hawks for taking our captain out of this series…hopefully MB has noticed also…

clarkson’s game, with his extra effort D (still useless fouls a bunch) is made for the playoffs when scoring is at such a premium…

great shift from jose…

KAT has 4 career triple doubles. Zero in the playoffs. In case it becomes relevant.

This has to be the worst playoff series of Brunson’s career, absolutely brutal.

The Brunson missed open 3 and then giving up the offensive rebound bucket to Daniel’s was a 5 pt swing…may be a turning point

Brunson is practically unwatchable for me. I don’t want get slapped with political correctness but he’s going full R word.

KAT has 4 career triple doubles. Zero in the playoffs.

Time to do it is tonight. 😉

man, having jalen brunson guarding you has been like an instant confidence boost for every hawks’ player taking a shot…

he’s not this poor a defender, but the hawks are on his ass this series…

Brunson keeps starting possessions at midcourt with 8 seconds on the clock. This is getting really uncomfortable.

Towns just rescued Brunson with that put back and it looked like Brown was scolding him for something after the whistle. Read the room, bro.

Gotta survive these bench minutes….then again…season on the line…brown might have to go thibsian and roll with these dudes

KAT is the one guy who can dominate this game. Brunson can be doubled off the ball and his athleticism hurts when doubled…worse with a bad ankle.
Hawks are relatively small.
Gueye is the only guy over 6’10 and he’s a beanpole.
KAT’s usage should be off the charts.

man, having jalen brunson guarding you has been like an instant confidence boost for every hawks’ player taking a shot…

We should double team more and leave their worst shooter unguarded. Are we doing it? In the other games we weren’t, it was baffling by MB.

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Kispert wifh a shove in the back for that board.

Somehow I feel like the threat level is still a 5 out of 10

Hawks kind of went to sleep after the first nine minutes.

BigBlueAl, me too.
I remember a few times OG went down like that in the past. One we lost him for a few weeks, I seem to recall.
Now we need to watch how Brunson and OG feel after the game

So good to see Starks, Allan Houston and Clyde in the stands.

Did they come for the game or the Magic City?

KBAsays:
April 25, 2026 at 20:22
Bridges passed over for a shift or two, no?

Long time

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Jalen Johnson is a clown, when you grab a guy like that at least don’t act like it is an outrageous call

Had my quibbles with Towns and he has done some dumb stuff tonight like always but he’s been a monster

And same thing with Clarkson, a plus 12

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Guys, come on, Brunson is our best player, when KAT is playing bad no one is sending him to the locker room. You have to play your best players in hopes they start playing what you know they can.

Oh yeah Deuce

I don’t know what we should do but we should play Deuce more and Bridges less

Brunson is fine. Just going through a rough patch. I continue to believe in him. Have some grace.

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Brunson will be in the top3 playoff points for the Knicks after this game!? :O

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Brunson is a warrior. Bad ankle and now his knee. He keeps battling. Captain is finishing strong.

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Phew, i was worried about this game, nice to see we did what good teams do when it’s a must win.

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When last I watched Diawara was raining threes like Klay. Now he’s basically DNP and bricking layups trying a George Gervin impersonation. What happened? Hahaha.

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Diawara directing traffic, so hyped, then near breaks the backboard with the miss

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Towns triple double

Brunson stop forcing vs Daniel’s and things should be ok

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Knicks will be outscoring the Hawks by 30 points after this game, and it’s a 2-2 series. Should have been a sweep.

We were the aggressors and Atlanta showed they are not ready for the second round yet. Their hands were shaking all night long. It’s up to our players to take advantage on Tuesday. I hope tonight’s energy carries over.

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Watching a stream and it has no volume .I couldn’t hear anything towards the end of the game.

Deuce -plus 13

Mikal – a goose egg. So it’s a big improvement for him.

Okay. Ice baths! OG still got me worried about his back/hip after that nasty fall. Brunson still got me worried about his body AND his mind.

KAT smiling in the post game interview, crediting his teammates for his good game, and doing a whole lot of “we” about “Knicks fans worldwide” — like a man who doesn’t wanna play anywhere else … ever. 😉

Night all.

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