The Hawks’ 2026-27 schedule is out, and there’s no shortage of games that should tell us a lot about where Atlanta stands. Between the Eastern Conference grind, a strong slate of Western opponents, and a few nights that already feel loaded with extra meaning, this season has some real checkpoints built in.
A few of these games stand out because of the opponent. Others matter because of the moment. And a couple are about seeing how Atlanta stacks up against teams it could be chasing, or teams it may have to hold off, when the standings tighten up.
The first one that jumps off the page is the MLK Day matchup at home. If both teams are healthy, it has the makings of a massive Eastern Conference game.
Atlanta will host LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, and Joel Embiid, and the source material makes clear that this could be the biggest MLK Day game in franchise history. Those games in Atlanta already carry weight, and this one figures to put the Hawks in front of the league.
Another date that should bring plenty of attention is Trae Young’s return to Atlanta with the Wizards. Young was traded to Washington, but he did not play against his former team after that deal.
This year changes that. He’s expected to put on a show, and the Hawks will have a defensive group of Dyson Daniels, Lu Dort, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker waiting for him.
Young, who is described here as arguably the second-greatest Hawk of all time behind Dominique Wilkins, will have plenty of eyes on him in his old building.
The Knicks game at Madison Square Garden is another one that feels loaded before it even tips. The last time these teams met, New York was hammering Atlanta in Game 6 of the first round in Atlanta. Whether the Hawks have closed the gap this offseason against the defending champs is something that may not truly be answered until the playoffs, but this one should still draw a crowd of eyeballs.
There’s also a big NBA Cup angle in Atlanta’s meeting with Boston. East Group C includes the Hawks, Bulls, Wizards, Hornets, and Celtics, and this game could wind up deciding the group winner.
Beyond the tournament stakes, it’s also a matchup between two Eastern Conference teams trying to position themselves for the postseason. Beating Jayson Tatum and the Celtics on the road will not be simple.
The Thunder’s lone trip to Atlanta is another measuring-stick game. Oklahoma City is one of the teams Atlanta will be using as a benchmark, and a home game against a contender like that says plenty about where the Hawks are. It also adds a little extra intrigue because Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins will be facing their former team and would surely love to make a statement.
Toronto belongs on the list too, especially if the Raptors’ trade for Kawhi Leonard goes through. The source says that would make Toronto one of the best teams in the East.
Atlanta gave the Raptors trouble last season, but never got a chance to see the reshaped version of the roster after the trade deadline. These games should matter in the playoff-positioning race.
The Hawks’ season-series finale with Miami comes early in February on national TV, and that alone gives it some weight. It’s also the last time Atlanta will face Giannis Antetokounmpo and Miami, and if the two teams are close in the standings, that could make the matchup even bigger.
Indiana is another early-season test worth circling. The Pacers had a down year last season, but the source notes they’ll have Tyrese Haliburton back and Ivica Zubac, which should push them back toward the top tier in the East. That makes this meeting a useful read on both teams right out of the gate.
And then there’s the February home game against Denver, which gives us a classic star-versus-rising-star setup. Nikola Jokic, a three-time MVP, goes against Jalen Johnson, who is coming off his first All-NBA appearance. The question is simple: can Johnson rise to that level and go step for step with Jokic in Atlanta?
Finally, the Orlando matchups still carry heat. These games are expected to be physical, and the source points to the late-season injury to Hawks center Jock Landale, which kept him out for the rest of the year, as part of what pushed this rivalry to another level. With both teams battling for playoff positioning, every meeting between them matters.
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