Atlanta, GA
Atlanta United Advance to Face Inter Miami: Takeaways From MLS Eastern Conference Wild Card Match
Atlanta United avoided a total collapse to defeat CF Montréal 2–2 (5–4 on penalties) to advance out of the Eastern Conference Wild Card and set up an MLS Cup Playoffs Round One series with Inter Miami and Lionel Messi.
Montréal was on the front foot from the opening minute and managed to find pockets of space outside the Atlanta penalty area but didn’t really test 40-year-old Brad Guzan with a couple of tame efforts.
Totally against the run of play, the Five Stripes opened the scoring thanks to a brilliant cross from Pedro Amador to Brooks Lennon. Lennon—who was playing as a winger instead of a right-back—timed his run at the back post to perfection to latch on to Amador’s perfect cross to put the visitors in front. Jamal Thiaré nearly made the same run to the center of the box as Lennon headed home from close range.
Here’s the attacking momentum that shows how Atlanta scored after Montréal dominated the opening stages, courtesy of Sofascore.
The former Real Salt Lake player nearly doubled Atlanta’s lead just moments later. Instead of Amador, this time it was Saba Lobjanidze who squared an excellent cross into Lennon’s path right on the Montréal six-yard box. However, Lennon sent his effort flying over the bar on a chance he’d love to have back.
Montréal might’ve felt a bit of Déjà vu on the brink of halftime. Atlanta’s Jay Fortune won a free kick in dangerous area for his side to send in a cross, and that’s exactly what former Atalanta midfielder Alexey Miranchuk did to tee up Stian Gregersen. The Norwegian defender headed home’s Miranchuk’s cross to double Atlanta’s lead after Montréal attempted to equalize moments before.
A grave error from Guzan gave the hosts a lifeline back into the match. 2–0 is the most dangerous scoreline in soccer, after all. Guzan initially collected an incoming Montréal cross before spilling it into former teammate Josef Martínez’s path as the Venezuelan striker made no mistake right in front of the Atlanta goal to pull one back for Montréal.
The Five Stripes should’ve put the game away early late in the first half or even early in the second half and the missed chances only helped Montréal grow in confidence as the clock ticked on. Atlanta only brought more and more pressure on itself when the hosts won a penalty kick on the brink of stoppage time.
Martínez stepped up and slotted home the attempt from 12 yards out as Atlanta’s 2–0 lead vanished into thin air. The fans at Stade Saputo erupted into joy as the 31-year-old striker powered an effort pas this old teammate in Guzan to make it 2–2.
The two goals were Martínez’s seventh and eighth goals in his last six games and his fourth goal in his last two games against his former team.
It appeared as if Atlanta was going to throw away what looked a sure-fire win on the road in the postseason, but Guzan stepped up to cancel out his error. The former Aston Villa shot-stopper denied Tom Pearce during the shootout as Lobjanidze stepped up to fire home the winning attempt and secure Atlanta’s place in Round One against Miami.
Atlanta’s Saba Lobjanidze found himself with space down the left-hand side several times in the first half but didn’t do anything with the ball. Lobjanidze is a fine player but perhaps not one that should be starting week in and week out if Atlanta wants to lift MLS Cup. For example, at one point in the first half Lobjanidze tried to knock the ball past a pair of Montréal defenders down the sideline—he’s just not that kind of player.
Additionally Lobjanidze was presented with several chances where he should’ve fired an attempt on goal first-time or laid the ball off to a teammate. Instead, his poor decision making allowed Montréal back into the match and made things more difficult than it had to be for Atlanta.
On the opposite flank, Lennon had some decent moments on the ball, most notably the goal that put Atlanta up—which was the result of a great run by the American. However, in possession, Lennon still leaves a lot to be desired at times when most of his attacking movements end with a cross sailing over everyone’s head.
However, Atlanta has a pair of Designated Player slots available for this coming winter transfer window. If Atlanta hopes to compete in 2025 with a new head coach, it must bring in a DP-level striker and left-or-right winger to fill out the frontline.
The Canadian club has no shortage of young, talented players on its books that could be very important players in the seasons to come. Caden Clark, Bryce Duke, Nathan Saliba, Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty and Fernando Álvarez are all exception players right now that could take Montréal to the next level with some fresh signings in the upcoming transfer window.
For example, bringing in an experienced defender to play in Laurent Courtois’ back three would do wonders to cut down on the 64 goals conceded in the regular season. While Martínez is still a quality striker alongside Matías Cóccaro, Montréal should really look to bring in a Designated Player striker and defensive midfielder—former Tottenham Hotspur player Victor Wanyama is the only DP on the roster and he’s played a grand total of 402 minutes in 2024.
Courtois worked under former Montréal boss and current head coach of the reigning MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew in the second team setup and his playing style reflects that with his 3-4-2-1 setup. If Courtois is to be a success at Montréal like Nancy has been in Columbus, he’s going to need some help in the transfer window with his own Darlington Nagbe and Cucho Hernández.
It’s a bit strange given Atlanta historically has preferred to play with the ball, but the team has looked much better in transition than when in possession for most of the second half of the 2024 season. Of course, this was accelerated by the departures of Thiago Almada, Giorgos Giakoumakis and Caleb Wiley over the summer along with the firing of coach Gonzalo Pineda, but the team has proven to be a solid counter-attacking side when away from home.
This would explain why Atlanta dropped the ball against Nashville SC back in September when the team had 55% possession but failed to do much despite dominating possession. However, away from home in the Wild Card match, Atlanta didn’t see much of the ball with just 33% possession but proved to be somewhat clinical with its chances.
Atlanta’s inability to put the game away in this match will likely rear its ugly head again in the next round against Miami where the likes of Messi and Luis Suárez will make you pay for missed chances. However, it still generated quality chances on the break and that could be key in Round One—if Atlanta’s forwards can be a little more clinical.
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Atlanta Hawks (46-36, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Monday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Knicks -5.5; over/under is 216.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Knicks lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference first round with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Knicks won the last matchup 113-102 on Saturday, led by 28 points from Jalen Brunson. CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 26.
The Knicks are 35-17 in Eastern Conference games. New York has a 9-4 record in one-possession games.
The Hawks are 27-25 in Eastern Conference play. Atlanta is third in the league scoring 18.1 fast break points per game. McCollum leads the Hawks averaging 5.0.
The Knicks are shooting 47.8% from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points higher than the 47.4% the Hawks allow to opponents. The Hawks are shooting 47.4% from the field, 1.4% higher than the 46.0% the Knicks’ opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds for the Knicks. Brunson is averaging 19.9 points over the last 10 games.
Dyson Daniels is scoring 11.9 points per game and averaging 6.8 rebounds for the Hawks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 21.3 points and 2.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 6-4, averaging 110.4 points, 40.7 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 8.4 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.9 points per game.
Hawks: 5-5, averaging 117.2 points, 43.5 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.0 points.
INJURIES: Knicks: Tyler Kolek: day to day (oblique), Mitchell Robinson: day to day (ankle), Karl-Anthony Towns: day to day (elbow).
Hawks: Jock Landale: out (ankle).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks prediction, pick for Game 1 of 2026 NBA Playoffs first round
Sean Barnard details his preview and prediction for Saturday’s Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks matchup in the NBA Playoffs.
The NBA playoffs are officially underway with a loaded opening round. Taking place in the No. 3 vs. No. 6 matchup in the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks will take on the New York Knicks.
You can check out the full series preview on DraftKings Network here.
Looking at the odds for the series opener, the Knicks enter as 6.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Hawks are +205 underdogs with the game total set at O/U 218.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Eastern Conference series opener.
Hawks vs. Knicks prediction, preview
The Atlanta Hawks went through a midseason transition, moving on from Trae Young after he headlined the production for the franchise for the past eight years. The Hawks have not missed a beat amid the major midseason shakeup, finishing as the sixth seed in the conference with a 46-36 overall record. On the season, Atlanta has gone 44-38 against the spread, and the game total has gone 41-41 to the over/under.
Jock Landale is the only player set to miss the matchup tonight. Jalen Johnson headlines the production, posting averages of 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has had a breakout season in a new location, adding 20.8 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. CJ McCollum adds 18.7 points and 4.1 assists across his first 41 games with the organization, while Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, Jonathan Kuminga, and Zaccharie Risacher also play notable roles.
Quin Snyder’s group scores 118.5 points per game, which ranks sixth in the NBA. The Hawks also rank 14th in offensive rating, 13th in field goal percentage, and fifth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 116.0 points per game against Atlanta, which ranks 18th in the league. They also rank ninth in defensive rating, 18th in opponent field goal percentage, and 12th in opponent three-point percentage.
The New York Knicks entered the season with legitimate title aspirations. They have had some notable ups and downs, but now face this opportunity. New York finished the regular season with a 53-29 record and sit in third place in the East. The Knicks have gone 44-39 against the spread, and the game total has gone 38-45 to the over/under.
The Knicks enter this matchup with a clear injury report and a large sample size of the team playing together. Jalen Brunson headlines the production with 26.0 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns pitches in 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists of his own. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are responsible for the production at the wing positions, while Josh Hart sets the tone for this team from a hustle standpoint. New York also did an impressive job building out the bench unit this season, with players like Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet, and Tyler Kolek capable of serving as X-factors off the bench.
As a team, the Knicks are scoring 116.5 points per game, which ranks 10th in the NBA. New York also ranks third in offense rating, 11th in field goal percentage, and fourth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 110.1 points per game against the Knicks, which ranks fifth in the league. They also rank seventh in defensive rating, fifth in opponent field goal percentage, and 20th in opponent three-point percentage.
Hawks vs. Knicks pick, best bet
These are two teams at different stages of their timeline, but neither will be afraid of this playoff spotlight. The Knicks pushed their chips in around this core and are hoping to be rewarded for it. They fell to the Indiana Pacers in the Conference Finals last year and have made the postseason in four consecutive seasons. Atlanta missed out on the playoffs in back-to-back years and turned a new page direction with Jalen Johnson now leading the charge. Without Trae Young, the Hawks now lean on more of a defensive-minded identity and have a roster loaded with athleticism.
During the regular season, these teams faced off three times. They split the first two matchups, which took place on December 27th and January 2nd. New York picked up a narrow 108-105 victory in the most recent game, which took place on April 6th. Both sides were aware that this was a potential postseason matchup, and this game had some major seeding implications. It was an evenly matched game in which neither team was able to extend a lead beyond 10 points, and the rebounding battle was separated by just one board. The biggest discrepancy came with the Knicks shooting 50% compared to the Hawks shooting 40%, and New York outscoring Atlanta 52-34 in the paint.
While there are higher expectations for this Knicks team in the postseason outlook, the Hawks stack up fairly well in this matchup. Jalen Brunson will be at the heart of the offensive attack for New York. But his biggest weakness is when he is guarded by high-level athletes with a size advantage over him. The Hawks have built out a roster loaded with this archetype of player, and there is not a clear matchup for Brunson to hunt in most lineup combinations.
Brunson has enough experience and savvy to will settle in over the course of the series. But expect some growing pains in the early parts of this matchup, and for this to be a huge hurdle for this Knicks team. I am backing the Hawks to cover the 5.5-point spread and would not be shocked if they steal the opening game. This is a series in which neither side should be expected to pull away by major margins throughout. Count on Atlanta to have defense success and have a clear gameplan for limiting the impact of Brunson. Expect this matchup to come down to the wire and take the points in the series opener.
Best Bet: Hawks +6.5 (-112)
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