During the 1990s heyday of the NBA on NBC, Madison Square Garden was a fixture of the action. The most famous sports arena in the world was also home to a New York Knicks squad that made the playoffs every single season during the ’90s, so NBA on NBC viewers got to know those teams very well.
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Now, in the first Playoffs of NBC’s new NBA broadcasting agreement, the Knicks are once again in the postseason, and just like last season, they’re major players in the Eastern Conference with an eye on the NBA Finals. For the first time in 25 years, the NBA on NBC returns to Madison Square Garden during the Playoffs this Monday to watch a new generation of Knicks take on the Atlanta Hawks in a First Round showdown. Let’s take a closer look.
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How to Watch Hawks vs. Knicks (April 20)
NBC Sports’ coverage of the Knicks postseason will pick up with Game 2 of their First Round series against the Atlanta Hawks, who are a 6 Seed facing the 3 Seed New York squad. The Knicks lead the series 1-0 heading into Game 2. The game is set to tip off at 8 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden, live on NBC and streaming simultaneously on Peacock.
Noah Eagle will handle play-by-play for the game, with analysis from NBA legend Grant Hill and courtside reporting from Jordan Cornette.
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What to expect from Hawks vs. Knicks
In the last three seasons of head coach Tom Thibodeau’s tenure in New York, the Knicks were playoff contenders who never quite cracked the ceiling and broke through to the NBA Finals. For the past two postseasons their progress was halted by the Indiana Pacers, who didn’t make the Playoffs this year. That’s one obstacle removed. Throw in a new head coach with Mike Brown and the Knicks are not just hungry, but motivated by the promise of a new era.
But while New York and their potent defense, led by one of the league’s top rebounders in Karl-Anthony Towns, are the favorites in this series, the Hawks should not be counted out. Jalen Johnson, who made the 2026 All-Star Game, and the rest of Atlanta’s squad field a Top 10 offense that took them to the top of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference, and while their season didn’t look as promising as the Knicks, they still fought their way to an automatic playoff berth. If they can keep fighting, they might just pull off the upset, but the potency of this particular Knicks squad cannot be denied.