It wasn’t always pretty, but the Atlanta Hawks have advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2016. They clinched their spot on Wednesday night by beating the New York Knicks, 103-89 in Game 5 to win their first-round series, 4-1.
Trae Young wasn’t at his best in this one, but he still finished with 36 points and nine assists to lead the way as per usual. Clint Capela, meanwhile, kept up his strong play by going for 14 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks. His defensive presence in the paint proved crucial both in this game and throughout the series. The Hawks will now face the No. 1 seed in the East, the Philadelphia 76ers, who moved past the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, but could be without Joel Embiid due to a torn meniscus.
The Knicks had a great run this season, as they made the playoffs for the first time since 2013. But they succeeded through defense and effort, and were always a little bit short on talent and scoring. Those factors were magnified in the playoffs, as the Hawks shut down Julius Randle, and the Knicks had no response. Game 5 was another brutal offensive showing, as the Knicks shot 31 of 82 from the field and turned the ball over 16 times.
