NBA News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Feb 12, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) looks to post up against Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) in the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Comparing The Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks Projected Starting Lineups

Originally posted on Atlanta Hawks on SI
By Jackson Caudell | Last updated Sep 20, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Atlanta Hawks added many players this offseason to an already young and upcoming roster, and it now appears that the Hawks are potential playoff contenders. Atlanta's roster boasts a wealth of promising young talent that rivals the rest of the NBA, and it has acquired valuable pieces that can help the team take the next step.

Now that the NBA season is less than a month away, it is a good time to take a deeper dive into where the Hawks rank as far as starting lineups compared to other teams in the league. Next up, the New York Knicks, a team that has developed a bit of a rivalry with the Hawks over the past five years.

The Knicks got to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, but lost in a dramatic six game series to the Indiana Pacers. Now with a new head coach, New York is hoping to take that next step and get to the NBA Finals, but the Hawks could present a road block in that path.

Let's compare the two lineups.

Point guard: Trae Young vs Jalen Brunson

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Two of the best point guards in the league and two players who should be competing to be an All-Star and All-NBA player this year.

Young is one of the best point guards in the NBA and is coming off another All-Star season in which he averaged 24.2 PPG, 11.6 APG, and 3.1 RPG, shooting 41% from the field and 34% from three. It was a different kind of season for Young, as he took more of a backseat and tried to have a different approach with his teammates. It largely worked, and now Young is going to have the most talented team around him that he has ever had. I expect an All-NBA type of season.

Brunson is arguably the most clutch player in the league and an elite scorer. He averaged 26.0 PPG and 7.3 APG last season on 49/38/82% shooting splits. Brunson has had more recent playoff success than Young, but that is because the Knicks front office had built the team around him in the right way. Young finally has that around him and I think he is out to prove he is right there with Brunson among the elite players in the league.

Advantage: Atlanta

Shooting guard: Dyson Daniels vs Josh Hart

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Daniels averaged 14.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 4.4 APG last season while shooting 49.3% from the field and 34% from three. He grew as a playmaker and made strides in a lot of different areas on offense. While there is still a way to go for Daniels on that end, he is a better all-around player than White, even though White is the better scorer and offensive player. Daniels won the NBA's Most Improved Player Award and was second in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He is one of the premier perimeter defenders in the NBA and should only get better, even if he does not repeat the gaudy statistics he did last year.

Hart is one of the glue guys for the Knicks. He is a very solid defender and a tremendous offensive rebounder who gives his team a jolt of energy. He is a triple-double threat on any given night, but I think Daniels elite perimeter defense and emerging offense gives him the slight edge.

Advantage: Atlanta

Small Forward: Mikal Bridges vs Zaccharie Risacher

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Risacher had a solid rookie season, finishing second in rookie of the year voting and really coming on strong in the second half of the season. His shooting numbers really improved (46% from the field and 36% from three), and Risacher really had a solid tournament in this year's EuroBasket, showing that he might be ready for a breakout season.

Bridges had a tough start to his Knicks tenure, but he was able to find his rhythm and show why New York traded for him. His defense did not look as good as it had in the past, but he still averaged 17.6 PPG on 50/35/81% shooting splits. HIs experience and all-around game give him a pretty solid edge over Risacher.

Advantage: Knicks

Power Forward: Jalen Johnson vs OG Anunoby

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

If Johnson can stay healthy, this could be the year that he makes the All-Star team and possibly All-NBA. He was averaging 18.9 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 5.0 APG while shooting 50% from the field and 31% from three last season before going down with a season-ending shoulder injury. Johnson still has improvements to make and has to stay healthy, but the upside for him is through the roof.

Is he better than Anunoby is right now though? Anunoby is a perennial all-defensive candidate and has improved his offensive game by leaps and bounds over the years. He averaged 18.0 PPG and 4.8 RPG on 47/3781% shooting splits. I think the fact that he is elite on one end of the floor gives him the slightest of edges in this matchup.

Advantage: New York

Center: Kristaps Porzingis/Onyeka Okongwu vs Karl-Anthony Towns

Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Hawks have two quality options to start at center for them and that is why they are going to be one of the East's best teams.

Porzingis and Okongwu are two different players, but both are very good. Porzingis gives the Hawks an elite threat from three while also giving them strong interior defense. Okongwu is a really strong defender, just not a shot blocker, and a terrific pick-and-roll partner with Young. The defense for the Hawks was really strong when Okongwu and Johnson played together last season.

Towns is one of the most criticized players in the league, but he is an elite offensive player and is coming off one of his best seasons as an NBA player. Towns averaged 24.4 PPG, 12.8 RPG, and 3.1 APG on 53/42/83% shooting splits and despite his defensive limitations, Towns can score 50 on any given night and do it in a multitude of ways. Not many teams can beat the Hawks at this position, but the Knicks can.