Atlanta Hawks

Expect the tactical battle to condense around two questions: (1) can New York keep its spacing intact late, and (2) can it shrink Atlanta’s shot diet to the least efficient options without fouling.

When New York is controlling games, it’s usually because its half-court offense is generating two-for-one advantages: a clean paint touch that collapses the defense, or a reliable pick-and-roll that forces a rotation and creates a corner decision. The problem in close finishes is that those advantages often disappear as the floor tilts toward “your best guy, my best guy.” If the Knicks default into high, static pick-and-roll without weak-side movement, Atlanta can load up with a nail defender and tag the roll early, turning possessions into late-clock pull-ups.

The counter is simple but demanding: keep the second side alive. That means running the initial ball screen to force the first rotation, then immediately flowing into a re-screen, a ghost screen, or a DHO on the wing to attack a shifting defense. The Knicks should be hunting Atlanta’s weaker screen navigators and forcing communication errors — particularly by flipping the angle of the screen and bringing the action toward the middle to punish “down” coverage.