Madison Square Garden erupted in one of its loudest cheers of the night, but it wasn't for a thunderous dunk or a clutch three-pointer. The roar was for Mitchell Robinson sinking a free throw. In a classic playoff chess move, the Atlanta Hawks deployed the "Hack-a-Mitch" strategy during their 113-102 Game 1 loss, intentionally fouling the Knicks' defensive anchor, a career 50.8% free-throw shooter, to disrupt New York's rhythm.

The tactic, a familiar one for Robinson from past postseason battles, underscores his immense value. Teams are willing to send him to the line precisely because of his game-wrecking ability as a rim protector and rebounder. While the strategy had mixed results—Robinson split a pair and later missed two—it forced Coach Mike Brown to adjust his rotation, briefly pulling Robinson from the floor.

Despite the intentional fouls, Robinson made his presence felt upon returning, throwing down an alley-oop dunk and contributing key defensive plays. He finished his 15-minute stint with three points, four rebounds, two blocks, and a +5 plus/minus, proving that even a targeted strategy can't completely neutralize his impact.

The Knicks also navigated a tense moment when OG Anunoby, returning to the lineup, appeared to roll his left ankle—the same one that sidelined him recently—after stepping on C.J. McCollum's foot. The collective groan from the Garden crowd was palpable, but the forward was able to continue, a positive sign for New York's defensive integrity moving forward in the series.