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The New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks are scheduled to play in the first round of the NBA playoffs and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani was asked why it is so much more expensive to attend the Knicks playoff games than the Hawks.
Mamdani jokingly cited Knicks foe Trae Young, who played for the Hawks when they beat the Knicks in the first round of the 2021 playoffs, as the reason for the expensive tickets.
“I would say I blame Trae Young, and I think it’s always important to blame Trae Young,” Mamdani said at a press conference.
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(Left) Washington Wizards guard Trae Young (3) stands on the court against the Utah Jazz in the second half at Capital One Arena in Washington, District of Columbia, March 5, 2026. (Right) New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani attends a press conference that discussed New York City’s first quarter crime statistics, in New York, New York, April 2, 2026. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images; Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Mamdani placed the blame on Young, who was traded to the Washington Wizards in January. Even though Young is not with the Hawks, he caught wind of Mamdani’s remarks and fired back at the mayor.
“Remember what happened the last time the mayor of this city had my name in his mouth at a time like this. #DontBlameMeWhenItHappensAgain,” Young posted on X with a laughing and crying emoji and a hand emoji.
Regardless of whether Mamdani knows Young is no longer a member of the Hawks, this isn’t the first time the New York mayor has thrown shade at Young, as Bill de Blasio told Young to stop foul-hunting during this 2021 playoff run.
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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivers remarks at the Service Employees International Union 32BJ SEIU rally on Park Avenue in Manhattan on April 15, 2026. (Selçuk Acar/Anadolu)
The Hawks beat the Knicks 4-1 in this series. The Knicks lost this series as the No. 4 seed, while the Hawks were the No. 5 seed.
This time around, the Knicks are the No. 3 seed and the Hawks are the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
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Washington Wizards guard Trae Young (3) meets the media during his first return to play against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena on February 24, 2026. (Dale Zanine/Imagn Images)
Mamdani said he is “still confident and hopeful” that the Knicks will win a championship this season, and wants playoff tickets to be more affordable.
The Knicks will play the series opener against the Hawks at Madison Square Garden at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday.
