Knicks' Brown Handles 'Hack-a-Mitch' Tactic in Game 1 Win

New York head coach Mike Brown navigates intentional fouling strategy against Atlanta's Mitchell Robinson.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 5:35pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a basketball game, with sharp planes of color and overlapping perspectives, conveying the complex strategic decisions made by coaches during the playoffs.Cubist artwork captures the strategic chess match between coaches as they navigate intentional fouling tactics in the NBA playoffs.NYC Today

In his playoff debut as New York Knicks head coach, Mike Brown successfully managed the 'Hack-a-Mitch' strategy employed by the Atlanta Hawks against center Mitchell Robinson in Game 1. Despite Robinson's struggles from the free-throw line, Brown kept him in the game and used the Hawks' intentional fouling to get the Knicks into the bonus, ultimately leading to a 113-102 victory.

Why it matters

The 'Hack-a-Mitch' tactic is a common playoff strategy used against Robinson, one of the Knicks' most dominant players. How Brown handles this approach could be a key factor in New York's postseason success.

The details

With the Knicks leading by seven in the third quarter, the Hawks began intentionally fouling Robinson to send the poor free-throw shooter to the line. Robinson went 1-for-4 from the charity stripe before Brown subbed him out. However, Brown later put Robinson back in the game to start the fourth quarter, taking the 'Hack-a-Mitch' option away from Atlanta unless they wanted to keep the Knicks in the bonus for the entire final period.

  • With less than six minutes to go in the third quarter, the Hawks began intentionally fouling Robinson.
  • Brown subbed Robinson out after his 1-for-4 free-throw performance.
  • Brown put Robinson back in the game to start the fourth quarter.

The players

Mike Brown

The head coach of the New York Knicks, making his playoff debut in that role.

Mitchell Robinson

The Knicks' starting center, known for his dominant interior presence but poor free-throw shooting.

Quin Snyder

The head coach of the Atlanta Hawks, who instituted the 'Hack-a-Mitch' strategy against Robinson.

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What they’re saying

“We'll see how the game goes, and we'll leave him in until we think we need to make a sub. Whenever we feel like we need to make a sub, we will. But we're gonna give him a chance.”

— Mike Brown, Knicks Head Coach

“If they want to start fouling, then that would get us closer to the bonus. So it's a time for us to go back to him.”

— Mike Brown, Knicks Head Coach

“[We] had an opportunity to do that, decided it made sense.”

— Quin Snyder, Hawks Head Coach

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This game highlights Mike Brown's ability to adapt and make strategic decisions to counter the 'Hack-a-Mitch' tactic, a common playoff strategy used against one of the Knicks' most valuable players. Brown's handling of this situation could be a key factor in New York's postseason success.