The New York Knicks secured a 108-105 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, April 6. Atlanta currently sits 1.5 games ahead of the Toronto Raptors for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.
As such, Monday’s game could potentially be a preview for New York’s first-round playoff matchup.
Despite the Knicks’ win, All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns was quick to stress that the team needs to continue improving. Mike Brown’s squad has been inconsistent throughout the season, especially when facing teams with winning records.
“We’ve got to continue to get better,” Towns said, via NBC. “We have these last games, the last test runs, before it’s the real thing. And we’ve got to make sure that every single day we’re getting better. Getting that 1%, 2% better. That we’re understanding the new coaching system, offensively and defensively. Because when we’re in the playoffs, and then the crowd’s loud, and you’re in the game, you’ve got to trust each other, you’ve got to try and trust your instincts and your habits.”
Towns continued.
“So it’s time to build those and make sure that those standards are high when we step in for our first game in the playoffs. I think we did great tonight. I don’t think we showed the best version of ourselves, to be honest.”
Towns produced a solid game against Atlanta. He ended the night with 21 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals, shooting 9-of-12 from the field.
Towns Praised Knicks For Win Over Hawks
During his postgame news conference, Towns praised the Knicks for finding a way to win against a Hawks team that has been electric since the trade deadline.
“Man, just discipline, execution, experience,” Towns said. “Damn, tonight reminded me a little bit of last year, man. We found a way to get it done. That team is really good, man. They’re gonna be a problem for whoever they play in the playoffs. But, man, tonight was ours. We found a way to get it done.”
He continued.
“We found a way to execute in the end. We found a way to stop the bleeding. They’re a hell of a team — super talented. Nickeil Alexander-Walker — of course, I know him now from Minnesota. I know what he could do. But this was a team effort. We found a way.”
Following their win, the Knicks are now 2.5 games behind the Boston Celtics for the second seed in the East. However, with the season coming to an end, it might be a stretch to expect the Knicks to overtake Boston.
Josh Hart Speaks On Knicks Postseason Mindset
During a recent news conference, Josh Hart detailed the Knicks’ mindset as they move closer to the playoffs.
“For us, I think it’s just making sure we’re locked in and focused,” Hart said, via Jared Schwartz. “Obviously, this is a good little stretch to end the season to make sure we’re as sharp as we can be going into the playoffs. The past is the past, nothing you can do about it now.”
He continued.
“Our focus is on tomorrow being 1-0 against playoff teams, and then we move on to the next one, and then we want to be 1-0, and then we want to move onto the next one and be 1-0. Nothing in the past really matters. It’s about what we do moving forward that we’ll be judged on and what we judge ourselves on.”
New York came into the season with championship aspirations. They were Eastern Conference Finalists last season. The roster is more than talented enough to succeed in the playoffs. All that’s left is for the team to execute at a high level and push for a spot in the 2026 NBA Finals.
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