A rivalry matchup takes place in the first round of the NBA Playoffs in the Eastern Conference, as the No. 3 New York Knicks host the No. 6 Atlanta Hawks.  Trae

The Atlanta Hawks may be opening their first-round playoff series on the road, but fans in Atlanta will still have a chance to gather inside State Farm Arena for Game 2.

The Atlanta Hawks struggled to have the upper hand in Game 2 of their opening-round playoff series against the New York Knicks on Monday. Fortunately for the Hawks, veteran NBA guard CJ McCollum never gave up and led the team to make a 14-point comeback.

It was as if a switch had flipped coming out of halftime in Game 1, as the Knicks neutralized a Hawks strategy that was hurting them more than anything else. Most on-ball screens involve a smaller ball handler and bigger center or forward to try to create an opening or force a switch and create a mismatch.

Atlanta, ousted by the Knicks, picked a direction this season, and the Hawks will gain a valuable asset in the draft lottery

The playoffs are what the Knicks have been waiting for. In a season where the Knicks won their most regular season games in 13 years, much of it will be forgotten if the club flames out in the postseason. The first test is the Atlanta Hawks, who are the ...