Knicks Adjust to Neutralize Hawks' Pesky Small-Small Screens

New York's defense shuts down Atlanta's effective second-quarter strategy in Game 1 win.

Apr. 20, 2026 at 2:49am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball game broken down into overlapping planes of color, representing the strategic adjustments made by the Knicks to shut down the Hawks' small-screen offense.The Knicks' defense adjusted to neutralize the Hawks' effective small-screen strategy, showcasing their ability to make key in-game changes.Atlanta Today

The Knicks struggled to contain the Hawks' use of small-small pick-and-roll actions in the first half of Game 1, but made key defensive adjustments after halftime to shut down that strategy and pull away for a 113-102 victory. Atlanta's guards CJ McCollum and Nickeil Alexander-Walker were able to get open looks early, but the Knicks ramped up their communication and physicality in the second half to limit those opportunities.

Why it matters

The Hawks' small-small screen game exposed a weakness in the Knicks' perimeter defense, something that could be an issue if the two teams meet again later in the playoffs. It's also a strategy that is becoming more common across the NBA, so the Knicks' ability to adapt and counter it could be crucial going forward.

The details

The Hawks frequently ran actions involving two smaller guards setting screens for each other, targeting Knicks defender Jalen Brunson. This was particularly effective in the second quarter, when Atlanta shot 9-for-18 from the field and 5-for-7 from 3-point range to erase an 11-point deficit. But the Knicks made adjustments at halftime, improving their communication and physicality to shut down those small-small pick-and-rolls in the second half.

  • The Hawks' small-small screen strategy hurt the Knicks in the second quarter of Game 1.
  • The Knicks made defensive adjustments at halftime to neutralize the Hawks' small-small actions in the second half.

The players

Jalen Brunson

The Knicks guard who primarily guarded CJ McCollum and struggled with the Hawks' small-small pick-and-roll actions in the first half.

CJ McCollum

The Hawks guard who scored 12 of his 26 points in the second quarter by taking advantage of the Knicks' defensive lapses.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker

The Hawks guard who also benefited from the small-small screens, though he wasn't as efficient as McCollum in capitalizing on the open looks.

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What they’re saying

“Their small-small pick-and-roll also is a problem. And our guys did a pretty good job of defending that the right way in the second half. It kind of got away from us early in the game, and they got some open looks from it, but our level of physicality without fouling was really good in the second half, as well as our communication with their small-small pick-and-roll.”

— Mike Brown, Knicks Head Coach

“The way they do it, they got to the point where they mastered it, and they're really good at it. Them being able to slip out of screens and get to the point where they're ready to go and their feet are set and ready, they're really good at it. We just gotta be ready to be more physical. At the same time, communicate a little better, just making sure we're not giving them the space.”

— Jalen Brunson, Knicks Guard

“I think we can get better on our communication, especially on guard-guard [actions]. For the first game, it was solid, but we have to be better. For sure, I think we can clean it up. That communication of small-smalls, not allowing them to get [McCollum] and [Alexander-Walker] open shots. They're talented players. Obviously, you just try to get them to shoot as many contested shots as you can. So the communication's got to be better. The physicality was good, but we have to ramp that up.”

— Josh Hart, Knicks Forward

What’s next

The Knicks will look to continue their defensive adjustments in Game 2 on Tuesday night, as they aim to take a 2-0 series lead over the Hawks.

The takeaway

The Knicks' ability to adapt and shut down the Hawks' small-small screen strategy in the second half of Game 1 was a key factor in their victory. This type of in-game adjustment and communication will be crucial as the Knicks look to make a deep playoff run, especially if they face other teams that utilize similar guard-heavy offensive schemes.