Knicks vs. Hawks score: Live NBA playoffs updates as Julius Randle and Trae Young square off in Game 1

The New York Knicks are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2013 after an impressive regular season that netted them the East’s No. 4 seed. Their opponent, the Atlanta Hawks, are also glad to be back in the postseason after a five-year hiatus. As the higher seed, the Knicks will have home-court advantage in only their third playoff series since 2002. As you would expect, the Garden is rocking with their team back in the postseason and the Knicks are feeding off of that energy as New York has come all the way back from an early double-digit deficit to be in a close game as we enter crunch time.

This series features a couple stars making their playoff debuts in Trae Young and Julius Randle. Each has carried his respective team all season long, but their impact will matter most with the games meaning much more going forward. In his first season in New York, Tom Thibodeau has guided a young team to the league’s fourth-ranked defense, and it will need to be at its best against Young and the Hawks. Playing at home will help. Madison Square Garden won’t be quite brimming with hungry Knicks fans cheering them on, but the arena is allowing 15,000 to attend their postseason opener which should provide plenty of support for their team.   

For more on the NBA playoffs, we’ve got you covered with an in-depth look at the Hawks-Knicks series, the round-by-round playoff schedule, a breakdown of every team’s X-factors and our expert predictions for both the opening round and the entire postseason. Follow below for all the real-time updates throughout Game 1 between Atlanta and New York.