Atlanta faces New York without Trae Young, relying on emerging talent and recent momentum to challenge the Knicks on the road.
The Atlanta Hawks will begin 2026 without their star point guard, adding another layer of uncertainty to a pivotal road test against the New York Knicks.
Atlanta Hawks open the new year Friday night at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks, but they will do so without Trae Young for a third straight game. The Hawks officially ruled Young out after listing him as questionable earlier in the day due to a right quad contusion, the same injury that sidelined him earlier in the week.
Atlanta faced New York just six days ago at State Farm Arena and nearly erased an 18-point deficit before falling short. That loss was part of a difficult stretch that dropped the Hawks deeper into the Eastern Conference standings, but the context around Friday’s rematch looks different, even with Young unavailable.
Young has now missed games against Oklahoma City, Minnesota and New York, with Atlanta going 1-1 in the first two contests. In his absence, Nickeil Alexander-Walker is expected to make another start at point guard as the Hawks try to generate enough offense and ball movement to stay competitive on the road.
Through 10 games this season, Young has averaged 19.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 8.9 assists. His absence removes Atlanta’s primary shot creator and late-game organizer, placing more responsibility on a lineup that has struggled defensively for much of the past month.
The Hawks enter the night coming off one of their most encouraging performances of the season. On Wednesday, Atlanta snapped a seven-game losing streak with a wire-to-wire 126-102 win over Minnesota. That victory coincided with the return of Kristaps Porzingis from a 10-game absence due to illness and Jalen Johnson’s return after missing a game earlier in the week.
Johnson and Porzingis combined for 50 points, and Atlanta limited Minnesota to 42.5% shooting in a game that reflected improved connectivity on both ends of the floor. The Timberwolves entered that matchup playing well above .500 in December, making the performance stand out despite Atlanta still being short-handed.
Hawks head coach Quin Snyder framed the win as a building block rather than a turning point.
In discussing the team’s recent progress after the Minnesota game, Snyder emphasized consistency over results.
“If we continue to do these things, we’ll be competitive,” Snyder said. “It’s about embracing the process and making these details habits, not just what we did on a given night.”
Atlanta’s defensive issues remain a concern. The Hawks have allowed at least 125 points in 11 of their last 17 games and are giving up 120.1 points per game this season, the seventh-most in the league. That stretch includes a 128-125 loss to New York last weekend, when the Knicks controlled large portions of the game.
New York, however, enters Friday night with questions of its own. The Knicks squandered a 19-point lead on New Year’s Eve in a 134-132 loss to San Antonio, a collapse that dropped them to 19-1 when leading entering the fourth quarter. Despite holding a 23-10 record and sitting second in the Eastern Conference, New York has allowed at least 125 points in four straight games.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown pointed to an inability to sustain defensive intensity.
“I don’t know if we’re tired or what — we haven’t been able to sustain anything defensively for 48 minutes,” Brown said. “And we’ve won a lot of games and you want to win games and feel good about it. But at the end of the day, if we don’t figure out how we’re going to sustain what we’re supposed to do on defense for 48 minutes, it’s going to be a long year for us and it’s going to catch up with us.”
Friday’s matchup could hinge on availability in the frontcourt. Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is questionable after grabbing nine rebounds in the first meeting, while Atlanta expects to have both Porzingis and Onyeka Okongwu available. The Hawks rank fifth in three-point percentage, and New York sits 21st in three-point percentage allowed, creating a potential opening for Atlanta if its shooting carries over.
Even without Trae Young, the Hawks believe their improved health and renewed defensive focus give them a chance to start the new year on firmer ground.