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The New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks will play in the first round of the NBA playoffs, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani was asked why it is so much more expensive to attend the Knicks’ playoff games compared to the Hawks.
Mamdani jokingly cited Knicks nemesis Trae Young, who starred 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 news conference.
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(Left) Washington Wizards guard Trae Young (3) stands on the court against the Utah Jazz during the second half at Capital One Arena in Washington, District of Columbia, March 5, 2026. (Right) New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani attends a press conference discussing New York City’s first quarter crime statistics in New York, New York, April 26, 2026. (Geoff Burke/Imagn Images; Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
Mamdani blamed Young, who was traded to the Washington Wizards in January. Although Young is not with the Hawks, he caught Mamdani’s remarks and fired back at the mayor.
“Remember what happened the last time the mayor of that city has my name in his mouth at a time like this. #DontBlameMeWhenItHappensAgain,” Young wrote to X with a laughing crying emoji and a hand emoji.
Whether or not Mamdani knows Young is no longer a member of the Hawks, it’s not the first time the New York City mayor has shaded Young, as Bill de Blasio told Young to stop chasing fouls during the 2021 playoff series.
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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. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu)
The Hawks defeated the Knicks 4-1 in that series. The Knicks lost that series as the No. 4 seed, while the Hawks were the No. 5 seed.
This time, 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 with the media during his first return to play 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 he wishes playoff tickets were more affordable.
The Knicks play the first game of the series against the Hawks at Madison Square Garden at 6:00 PM ET on Saturday.
