New York and Los Angeles finished the regular season tied at 53-29, but the league confirmed the tiebreaker advantage to the Knicks, nudging their draft position up from 25 to 24.
The development comes as the Knicks, who have not drafted in the lottery recently, continue to add young talent while remaining a playoff contender. A slight uptick in draft position could help rebuild depth for a team built around Jalen Brunson and a growing young core.
On the court, New York claimed a 113-102 victory in Game 1 of the series with the Hawks and now aims to take a 2-0 series lead when they return to Madison Square Garden for Game 2.
Injuries shape the matchup: OG Anunoby is listed as probable to play for the Knicks, while the Hawks’ Jock Landale is out and Onyeka Okongwu is listed as questionable. The matchup remains focused on the Brunson–Karl-Anthony Towns two-man tandem, which continues to grow as the series progresses.
Brunson reiterated that his chemistry with Towns is improving the longer they share the floor, a development the Knicks will lean on as they push to extend their series lead.
Despite expectations that the Hawks could challenge the Knicks, New York remains the early favorite in this first-round series as it heads into Game 2 at Madison Square Garden, with the franchise also keeping an eye on the upcoming draft.
