The Atlanta Hawks play host to the New York Knicks at the State Farm Arena in Game 4 on Saturday night. Here’s a Hawks vs. Knicks Prediction. This article will include a Hawks vs. Knicks Pick.
New York Knicks Betting Preview
The New York Knicks kicked off the series with a comfortable win at home, but in the blink of an eye the Knicks are suddenly trailing by 2-1 after falling painfully short to the Hawks in a 109-108 road defeat in Game 3 on Thursday. OG Anunoby led the team with 29 points, nine rebounds and three blocks; Jalen Brunson added 26 points on 11 of 23 shooting, while Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in with 21 points, 17 rebounds and four assists. As a team, the Knicks shot 43 percent from the field and 10 of 35 from the 3-point line as they struggled to match the Hawks at the start of the game and quickly fell behind by as many as 18 points. The Knicks battled hard all game to overcome that deficit and take the lead heading into the final minute of the contest before the Hawks’ CJ McCollum drained the game winner with just 12.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Atlanta Hawks Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks were heading into this series as the dark horse of the NBA Playoffs, but they are now in a great spot after taking care of business in a dramatic win in Game 3. Jalen Johnson led the team with 24 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists; CJ McCollum added 23 points with two steals and two blocks, while Jonathan Kuminga chipped in with 21 points on nine of 14 shooting off the bench. As a team, the Hawks shot 45 percent from the field and 13 of 33 from the 3-point line as they looked to be in a bit of trouble after allowing the Knicks to erase their early 18-point lead, but just when it looked like the Hawks were about to lose, it was McCollum who saved the day with a clutch stepback game winner to give the Hawks a chance to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Why the Atlanta Hawks will win
- The Knicks have lost each of their last nine playoff road games against Southeast Division opponents.
- The Hawks have won each of their last nine home games following a home win.
- The Knicks have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six Eastern Conference First Round road games against Southeast Division opponents.
- The Hawks have covered the spread in eight of their last nine home games following a home win.
Why the New York Knicks will win
- The Hawks have lost seven of their last eight playoff games following a win.
- The Knicks have won seven of their last eight Eastern Conference First Round games following a loss.
- The Hawks have failed to cover the spread in seven of their last eight playoff games following a win.
- The Knicks have covered the spread in five of their last six games against Eastern Conference opponents following a loss.
Total Points: Facts
- Each of the Knicks’ last six night games at State Farm Arena following a road loss has gone OVER the total points line.
- Each of the Hawks’ last four playoff home games has gone OVER the total points line.
Atlanta Hawks Player Facts
- Jalen Johnson has recorded 67 games with 4+ assists this season—equal to the most of any player in the league.
- Dyson Daniels ranks 2nd amongst qualified players for steals per game (2.0) this season.
New York Knicks Player Facts
- Mitchell Robinson ranks 1st amongst qualified players for rebounds per 36 minutes (16.1) this season.
- Karl-Anthony Towns ranks 2nd amongst qualified players for rebounds per game (11.9) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Hawks rank 1st in the league for assists per game this season (30.1).
- The Hawks have recorded the largest comeback win from a Q3 deficit this season—they trailed by 18 points @ Suns on November 16.
- The Knicks rank 1st in the league for opponent offensive rebounds per game this season (10.0).
- The Knicks rank 1st in the league for Q4 opponent points per game this season (25.3).
Hawks vs Knicks Prediction
This series has been so close so far, as the last two games were decided by just one point each so we could easily be looking at the Knicks being up 3-0 in the series rather than down by 2-1. The Hawks were entering these playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the league and they seemed to have carried that form into this matchup at the expense of the Knicks. McCollum and Johnson have been great for the Hawks so far, but it’s time for the Knicks to step up and avoid falling into a 3-1 series deficit. The momentum is clearly with the Hawks, but the Knicks are basically battling for their lives in this one and I think they get off to a better start and escape with a much-needed narrow win to square up the series heading back home.