NBA: 7 big takeaways after the first week of the postseason

The Atlanta Hawks could give the Philadelphia 76ers some trouble

Despite the excitement that surrounded the return to relevance of the New York Knicks, the Atlanta Hawks have pretty much crushed all of that hype. Led by Trae Young, the Hawks have been mightily impressive against the Knicks.

With exception of one quarter in Game 2, you could make the argument that Atlanta has overwhelmed the Knicks in every facet of the game – it also doesn’t help that RJ Barrett and Julius Randle have been shells of themselves in the postseason.

Nevertheless, as the Hawks close in on eliminating the Knicks, it wouldn’t be surprising if this team emerged as a real threat to take out the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round – or at least test them in a long series.

If Young can continue to play at this level – 24 points, nine assists, and four rebounds per game in the postseason – it could make for an interesting second-round series.