After an 82-game regular-season NBA schedule, the playoffs tip off on Saturday with four games, two games in the Eastern Conference and two games in the Western Conference.
There are going to be some interesting first-round matchups this season. The Philadelphia 76ers will battle the Boston Celtics. Who doesn't love a Philadelphia/Boston playoff series in any sport? LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will take on Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets. On Saturday afternoon, the Denver Nuggets will host the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Maybe, just maybe, the most underrated Game 1 on the schedule will take place on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York when the Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks. When the ball is tipped, this series could get interesting, and one player who could be an X-factor is former Virginia Tech standout Nickel Alexander-Walker.
Former Virginia Tech stnadout Nickel Alexander-Walker begins NBA Playoffs on Saturday night
If you're looking for something to watch on Saturday night and you have Amazon Prime, then the Hawks at the Knicks is appointment viewing. While New York is the series favorite and will likely emerge as the first to win four games, they'll have to deal with Alexander-Walker, who has had a tremendous first season in Atlanta.
Just how good has Alexander-Walker been in 2025-26 for the Hawks? In 78 games, he averages 33.4 minutes a game and is second on the team in points per game with 20.8. He has shot 45.9% from the field and 39.9% from behind the arc. He is a very streaky shooter, but once he gets into a groove shooting the ball, he is tough to defend. This Hawks team is scary in terms of whether they can put it together in the postseason.
He has had multiple games this season where he has been the difference-maker in some surprising wins, including in Boston against the Celtics earlier this season. Again, New York is the favorite to emerge from the series and make the second round, but don't be surprised if Atlanta makes them sweat some games out in this series.
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