Jalen Johnson Said Something Eye Opening After Hawks Game 4 Loss to the Knicks

The Knicks appeared to be more ready to play than Atlanta last night and it resulted in New York tying the series

Apr 25, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) truest get to the basket defended by New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) during the second half during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks had a chance to go up 3-1 on the New York Knicks last night in the first round series between the two teams, instead, the series is now tied up heading back to Madison Square Garden.

From the opening tip last night, it was clear that the Knicks were going to be throwing their best punch at the Hawks and Atlanta was going to have to be ready for it. They were not though and the game was never really in doubt and the Knicks blew Atlanta off their home floor to tie the series.

After the game, Hawks forward Jalen Johnson talked about the Knicks physicality and how the team was just not ready for that:

“I think they just punked us. We just didn’t match their intensity from the jump. Guys like (Josh) Hart, we need to match their energy.”

It was not just Johnson, though. Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker also said that the Hawks were not able to match the physicality of the Knicks:

“They wanted it more; they played harder,” said Alexander-Walker.

Hawks head coach Quin Snyder noted the physicality for New York, especially at the start of the game.

"Well, I think more than anything, the start of the game, you know, their physicality bothered us. But we didn't do the things that we need to do to have success against them. You know, we turned the ball over. There's no transition when you're turning the ball over and bringing it up out of the net. We didn't crash the way we need to. It felt like there were 50-50 balls that they came up with. So we've got to be better. We didn't do the things we needed to do to win from that standpoint, and I thought we didn't move the ball either. It got stagnant, and give them credit there. Their aggressiveness on the defensive end, Josh Hart in particular, he was guarding everybody. So it wasn't a game that was loaded with adjustments as much as it was a team that really got after it. And as I said, it's not like we didn't compete, but we didn't compete in the areas that we need in order to win a game."

This is pretty eye opening from Johnson and the others. When a team like the Knicks, who were picked by some to make the NBA Finals, goes down 2-1 in a series and faces a must win on the road, you better believe that you are going to get their best shot. I am sure that this did not surprise Atlanta, but the fact that they could not rally and get past that and match the Knicks energy does not give you confidence that the Hawks are actually ready to pull off an upset like this.

However, you have to remember that this is a young group and it is the first time that they are experiencing the postseason together, meanwhile this same Knicks team was just two wins away from the NBA Finals last season. Now that the Hawks have seen what kind of energy and physicality that it is going to take to match the Knicks, can they respond and win two out of the next three games to win the series?