Knicks vs. Hawks Playoff Showdowns: Uncovering the Untold Drama Behind Their Epic Rivalry

Offensively, the Knicks were led by Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell, with Sprewell averaging 22.5 points per game and Houston adding 18. The offense controlled the pace, but it was the defense that dictated the series, leading to a second-round sweep of the Hawks.

That sweep wasn’t just another series win, it was a continuation of one of the most improbable runs in franchise history. As an 8 seed, the Knicks weren’t supposed to be there, and they definitely weren’t supposed to dominate a higher-seeded Hawks team the way they did. Instead, they stayed in control, carried their momentum from Miami, and moved straight through to the Eastern Conference Finals. From there, the run kept building, all the way to the NBA Finals, marking the franchise’s first appearance on that stage since 1994.

After 1999, the matchup disappeared again for more than two decades, as the two franchises moved through different cycles without ever aligning in the postseason. It was not until 2021 that they met for the third time, and this series carried a very different kind of significance. The Knicks entered the playoffs as the 4 seed in the Eastern Conference after a 41-31 season, marking their first postseason appearance since 2013. More importantly, they entered with a renewed identity under Tom Thibodeau, built around defense, physicality, and the emergence of Julius Randle as an All-NBA level player. Madison Square Garden, limited in capacity but fully engaged, provided an atmosphere that felt like a reintroduction of playoff basketball to New York.

Game 1 immediately shifted the tone of the series and added Trae Young to the list of Garden villains. Tie game, under 10 seconds left, ball in his hands. He waves off the screen, drives straight down the middle, freezes the defense just enough, and floats it in with 0.9 seconds left. No panic, no rush, just complete control in the biggest moment of the night. Atlanta stole a 107-105 win, but it felt bigger than just one game. That moment set the tone for the entire series. It gave Atlanta confidence, put the Knicks on their heels, and from there, the series steadily tilted in Atlanta’s favor.