The Knicks Are Playing for a Championship Starting Tomorrow Night, and the Hawks Are the Last Team Anyone Expected to Face Them

The New York Knicks didn't hire a new head coach to win 53 games. They didn't make the Eastern Conference finals last year just to pack it in. And they definitely didn't win the NBA Cup in December only to let that momentum slip away. Now, with the Hawks coming to town for Game 1 of their first-round series Saturday night, the Knicks are entering what their players are calling a championship-or-bust run, and there's no room for error.

The Knicks Are Built to Win It All. So Why Did They Fire Their Coach?

New York finished the regular season with 53 wins, their most since the 2012-13 season. They earned the third seed in the East. They reached the Conference finals for the first time since 2000. Then they fired head coach Tom Thibodeau three days after losing to the Pacers in the second round.

It's a bold move for a franchise that hasn't won a title since 1973 or even reached the Finals since 1999. Knicks owner James Dolan made his expectations crystal clear during a rare radio appearance in January, saying the team should "want to get to the Finals and we should win the Finals." Karl-Anthony Towns echoed that sentiment, saying bluntly: "At the end of the day, we'll be judged on what we do on this run."

The Knicks did catch fire down the stretch after a brutal 2-9 skid from Dec. 31 through Jan. 19, posting a 28-11 record the rest of the way, including 15-10 against playoff teams. But regular season success isn't the goal here. Thibodeau had built New York into a force, directing the Knicks to four playoff berths in five years dating back to 2020-21, matching the total playoff appearances the franchise made from 2001 through 2020. Now they need to prove it on the biggest stage.

The Hawks Went From Dead in the Water to a Sixth Seed in Two Months Flat

Atlanta's story is completely different. At 18-21 and sitting in ninth place on Jan. 7, the Hawks made a shocking trade, sending Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. Young would play just five games for the Wizards due to injuries, but the Hawks caught fire with their new pieces.

McCollum averaged 18.7 points per game while Kispert chipped in 9.2 points as a key reserve over 80 combined games. Atlanta won 28 of their final 43 games, including 20 of 26 after the All-Star Break, the third-best record in the entire NBA down the stretch. They finished 46-36 and snagged the sixth seed as the final guaranteed playoff spot.

"We've added stuff, we've taken stuff out, we've kind of evaluated what works, what doesn't work and what's going to work for this group," McCollum said. It's a far cry from where the Hawks were a month and a half ago.

Here's What's at Stake

The Knicks are supposed to win this series. They're healthier, more experienced, and they've got a championship mandate hanging over their heads. But the Hawks have momentum on their side and nothing to lose. Game 1 tips off Saturday night at home for New York. The pressure is on.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.