The NBA playoff matchups in the Eastern Conference are set.

After coming into Sunday as the likely No. 5 seed, the Orlando Magic’s stunning loss to the Boston Celtics paired with the Hawks losing and Raptors winning, means that the Hawks are going to be the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the New York Knicks in the first round.

These two teams met just last Monday, a thrilling win for the Knicks in the final minute. Here are my first three thoughts about this matchup.

1. The Hawks have to have an answer for Mitchell Robinson

With no new update on Jock Landale, the Hawks are going to have a big question at the backup center position. Assuming Landale is not able to go at least at the start of this series, Mo Gueye is going to have a big role in this series and he will be going against one of the top backup centers and rebounders in the league, Mitchell Robinson.

In nearly 20 minutes in last week’s matchup, Robinson scored eight points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Having Gueye go against him is going to be a big mismatch, as good as Gueye is defensively. Figuring out how to deal with Robinson is going to be key if the Hawks hope to spring the upset.

2. Can this group handle the playoff pressure?

Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Jonathan Kuminga, and Onyeka Okongwu have varying degrees of playoff experience, but not as starters. CJ McCollum has years of playoff experience, Nickeil Alexander-Walker helped Minnesota make back-to-back Western Conference Finals Appearances, and Gabe Vincent was a key role player for Miami during their runs recently. However, this group has only been playing together for a few months and have not been under the microscope of the posteason.

This Knicks team however was two wins away from the NBA Finals and has a lot of confidence that they can get back there and finish the job. They are a cohesive unit that plays well together and they are going to have a rowdy crowd at Madison Square Garden behind them. Can the Hawks handle the pressure they are about to face?

3. Hawks are capable of an upset

While the Knicks are certainly going to be favorites (deservedly so), I believe this Hawks team is for real and they are not going to be intimidated.

They have Jalen Johnson, who is set to make his first ever All-NBA team, Nickeil Alexander-Walker is the NBA’s front runner for most improved player, and Dyson Daniels is as good of a perimeter defender as there is.

These two teams as they are currently constructed have only played once, so there is not much to go on, but if this series is like that game that was played last Monday in Atlanta, It should be one of, if not the best series in the first round.

Nobody is going to pick the Hawks and the Knicks are an elite team, but don’t discount the Hawks chances.

ATLANTA – A 29-year-old man is accused of murder after a Saturday night shooting in northwest Atlanta.

What we know:

Xavier Postell was arrested on Sunday in connection with the fatal shooting on Allen Temple Ct NW. 

Postell was taken to the Fulton County Jail and booked on a murder charge. 

Atlanta police officers were called to reports of a person shot on Allen Temple Ct NW around 8:45 p.m.

When they arrived, they found a man who had been shot. He was rushed to Grady Hospital, where he died from his injuries.

What we don’t know:

Police have not released the name of the man who died. Investigators are still working to determine the circumstances surrounding the shooting and what led up to the violence.

Atlanta was projected to take San Diego State CB Chris Johnson in Round 2.

Like the other 31 NFL teams, the Atlanta Falcons are ramping up their scouting ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. On Friday, the team hosted two local prospects on pre-draft visits. Georgia State wide receiver Ted Hurst and Georgia defensive lineman Christen Miller met with the team in Flowery Branch.

Hurst and Miller are both potential targets for Atlanta due to their current draft projections and the team’s needs. The Falcons are reportedly focusing on the wide receiver and defensive tackle positions. However, pre-draft visits and insider intel have little bearing on what actually happens during the draft.

In fact, there’s a decent chance that the team will go in a completely different direction than most draft analysts anticipate. The Falcons have other needs at cornerback, offensive tackle and linebacker, which some could argue are equally as pressing.

PFSN analyst Alec Elijah released a new seven-round mock draft in which the Falcons make all five of their current picks without any trades. In Round 2, the team lands a new No. 2 cornerback in San Diego State’s Chris Johnson.

Round 2, Pick 48: CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State

“Beyond A.J. Terrell, the Falcons have been searching for consistency at corner, particularly from defenders who can stay glued to receivers in coverage,” wrote Elijah. “With the way the board has played out, landing San Diego State’s Chris Johnson would be a strong boost to the secondary, giving Atlanta a reliable running mate opposite Terrell.”

Johnson would be an intriguing choice in Round 2 if he’s still on the board at pick No. 48. Last season, Johnson recorded four interceptions and a Pro Football Focus grade of 91.6 (92.4 coverage grade). He’s currently rated as the 46th overall prospect on PFF’s 2026 big board.

In the later rounds of PFSN’s mock draft, the Falcons added Boise State guard Kage Casey, Mississippi State wide receiver Brenen Thompson, Alabama defensive tackle Tim Keenan III and Ole Miss offensive tackle Diego Pounds.

Thompson is a wildly productive slot receiver who recorded 1,054 receiving yards on just 57 catches (18.5 yards per catch) last season. Atlanta needs more depth, particularly in the slot where Olamide Zaccheaus is the only established player.

As for Keenan and Pounds, both could fill depth/developmental roles in Atlanta next season. Check out all five Falcons picks in PFSN’s mock draft below.

Falcons’ picks in PFSN’s 7-round mock draft

• Round 2, Pick 48: CB Chris Johnson, San Diego St.
• Round 3, Pick 79: G Kage Casey, Boise St.
• Round 4, Pick 122: WR Brenen Thompson, Miss. St.
• Round 6, Pick 215: DT Tim Keenan III, Alabama
• Round 7, Pick 231: OT Diego Pounds, Ole Miss

The 2026 NFL Draft is just two weeks away, starting on April 23. The Falcons’ first pick won’t come until the second round (pick No. 48 overall).