76ers Playoff Watch: New York Knicks Grab Game 2 Win Over Atlanta Hawks

As the Philadelphia 76ers were in the midst of their Game 2 matchup against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night, the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks were gearing up for their own tip-off at Madison Square Garden.

The Hawks and the Knicks had a tight battle in the first outing. While Atlanta was certainly in a tough spot playing on the road in MSG's first playoff game since 2013, Hawks star Trae Young willed his team to a tight victory, stealing Game 1.

He looked to do the same in Game 2. The night started off great for Young and the Hawks. Through the first 12 minutes of action, the Hawks outscored the Knicks 27-20, getting a good start on the road once again.

The second quarter went just as well for the Hawks, who put up 30 points, with half of that production coming from Trae Young. As Atlanta had a solid 57-44 lead going into the half, it seemed the Hawks were well on their way to picking up a shocking 2-0 start over the Knicks before hosting two playoff games of their own.

But the Knicks weren't ready to call it quits. After getting an intermission, making some adjustments, and mentally resetting, the Knicks came out looking like a much different team in the second half. Coming out of the locker room for the third quarter, Julius Randle and Knicks fired off 32 points, holding the Hawks to just 18.

After a notable third-quarter performance, the Knicks entered the final period with a one-point lead over the Hawks. In Game 1, the Hawks found a way to leave MSG with a win despite playing a tight game with the crowd against them. On Wednesday, they couldn't find similar results.

By outscoring the Hawks 25-17, the Knicks held on tight and picked up their first playoff win in nearly ten seasons. Now, the series will head to Atlanta, Georgia, where the Hawks will host a playoff game of their own for the first time since the 2016-2017 season. That game will tip-off on Friday night at 7 pm EST.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_ & Instagram: @JGrassoNBA.