Karl-Anthony Towns’ playmaking and scoring have carved up the Hawks in this first-round series.
It’s close-out time in this first-round series and the New York Knicks are bringing the momentum, which has shifted suddenly. The question is, will they bring a killer’s instinct?
That’s what this type of game requires, because it’s tough to send another team on vacation, especially on their home court. The Atlanta Hawks had nothing to lose when this series began, and managed to assume a 2-1 lead and cause the sky to temporarily fall in Gotham. They can make that happen again, although it’ll require a much stronger effort than the last two games.
Here’s what’s at stake:
With a win, the Knicks would calm the fears of their desperate fanbase and keep alive the dream of their first NBA title since 1973. With the Eastern Conference seemingly wide open, this season could be the Knicks’ best chance to at least advance to the NBA Finals. A loss will force another game in New York, and the longer this series goes, the more chances of something freaky happening in a Game 7.
“This is a relentless group,” said Knicks coach Mike Brown. “You’ve got to go through some adversity throughout the course of the year to see what you’re made of as a group … there’s nothing that will deter the group.”
The Hawks, with a victory, would clearly be playing with the house’s money. This team is in transition under first-year general manager Onsi Selah. Additionally, there are big decisions to be made this offseason to reshape the roster into a contender. If the Hawks have a chance to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals, it would represent a team that’s ahead of schedule.
“I believe in this group of guys,” said Hawks forward Jalen Johnson. “I believe in the mindset that this group of guys have. I’m excited to have that chance and come back to New York.”
Here’s what to watch for Game 6 in Atlanta (7 p.m. ET, ESPN):
1. The Hawks’ offense
The last two games, both Atlanta losses, were dry spells. The Hawks failed to score 100 points in either and, outside of a few players, never established any rhythm. This allowed the Knicks to cruise to a pair of easy victories.
From Atlanta’s perspective, this much change, or else. And specifically, the Hawks’ 3-point shooting will be crucial and they made nearly half of those shots in their Game 3 win. They shot just 31% in Game 5, which helped contribute to the Knicks’ rout.
The Hawks are still looking for the definitive statement game from Johnson. While his play has been solid in spurts, he hasn’t placed his signature on this series yet, and time is running out. The Hawks are at their best when their All-Star forward is demanding double teams and also finding teammates for open looks.
The same goes for Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The league’s reigning Kia Most Improved Player is laboring through this series and hasn’t reached the level he had during the season when he averaged 20 points.
The Hawks could only travel so far while depending heavily on CJ McCollum, who delivered his first poor outing of the series with a six-point Game 5. They’ll need him to bounce back, but also for others to supply the necessary help.
2. New York’s big advantage
This is an ongoing flex in this series — the Knicks are bringing too much size for the Hawks to handle. Much of this is centered, so to speak, around Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson. That duo is doing work on the boards (20 rebounds combined in Game 5) and providing the rim-protecting defense that’s forcing the Hawks to emphasize perimeter play.
Towns also became more of a facilitator in the last two games, which has been huge. It’s a unique strategy by Brown to run a portion of the offense through Towns, whose passing is an understated part of his game. So far, so good; Towns has 16 assists in the last two games, more than Jalen Brunson.
“I feel like passing has been my thing since I came into the league,” said Towns. “Sometimes the scoring gets more noticed.”
The Hawks lack established players at the big man positions to compete favorably. That’s why Tony Bradley, who seldom played during the season, is getting minutes. Onyeka Okongwu is the best option, but he’s just 6-foot-9. It was only a matter of time before the differential would tip in the Knicks’ favor, and that time has arrived.
3. Unsung heroes
What players might emerge as game-changers in Game 6? Here are the candidates:
• Mikal Bridges: The best way for him to change the conversation is with a strong close-out performance. He’s certainly due for one, and what better way to go into the next round — where the stakes will be higher — with a statement game? At the very least, he needs to play well enough to convince Brown to keep him on the floor.
• Jordan Clarkson: He has been helpful off the bench in the limited amount of time he has received. Clarkson is on the floor for one reason — to shoot as much as possible — and his game agrees with that responsibility.
• Jose Alvarado: He attended Georgia Tech, just a few miles away from State Farm Arena, and tends to play well in Atlanta. In Game 4 he was a complete pest and made plays with forced turnovers.
• Jonathan Kuminga: He has been inconsistent, not only in this series but since arriving in Atlanta at midseason. He brings the athleticism the Hawks lack otherwise, and always plays aggressively, sometimes to his advantage.
• Dyson Daniels: As long as he isn’t asked to shoot, Daniels is helpful because his passing is sneaky good and his defense and rebounding are top shelf.
4. New York State of mind on road
Whenever the Knicks play in Atlanta, the noise is often in their favor. The city has a good number of New York transplants who make themselves known loud and clear. This is a home game for the Hawks, yet at times, especially during a Knicks’ scoring run, it feels like New York south.
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Shaun Powell has covered the NBA since 1985. You can e-mail him at spowell@nba.com, find his archive here and follow him on X.
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