hawks vs knicks

Atlanta’s Game 5 loss was not just ugly because of the score. The 126-97 defeat to New York exposed a more serious issue: once the series turned physical, the Hawks stopped dictating anything. The clearest signs were basic but telling. The Knicks won the paint battle 60-42, owned second-chance points 20-6, and even won transition points 13-4 after Atlanta spent much of the season leaning on pace and early offense. When a quicker team loses both the running game and the effort game, that says the matchup has turned on it. Atlanta also got buried on the glass, 48-27. That number matters because