Atlanta Hawks (46-36) vs. NY Knicks (53-29)
April 20, 2026 8:00 pm EDT
The Line: NY Knicks -5.5; Over/Under: 216.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks do battle in Game 2 at Madison Square Garden on Monday night. Here’s a Knicks vs. Hawks Prediction. This article will include a Knicks vs. Hawks Pick.
Atlanta Hawks Betting Preview
The Atlanta Hawks were one of the hottest teams in the league at the end of the regular season, but they came back down to Earth with a 113-102 defeat to the Knicks in Game 1 last night. CJ McCollum led the team in scoring with 26 points on 11 of 20 shooting; Jalen Johnson added 23 points; Onyeka Okongwu scored 19 points, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 17 points. As a team, the Hawks shot 44 percent from the field and 14 of 37 from the 3-point line as they poured in 31 points in the second quarter to keep pace with the Knicks early on, but they scored just 19 points in the third quarter and fell behind by as many as 19 points at one stage. Dyson Daniels tallied nine rebounds, 11 assists and three steals but scored just four points, while no bench player scored more than Jonathan Kuminga’s eight points.
New York Knicks Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks finished the regular season with plenty of momentum and they seemed to have brought that into the postseason after outlasting the Hawks in an impressive home win in Game 1. Jalen Brunson led the team with 28 points and seven assists; Karl-Anthony Towns added 25 points with eight rebounds and four assists, while OG Anunoby chipped in with 18 points on six of nine shooting. As a team, the Knicks shot 48 percent from the field and 12 of 25 from the 3-point line but this win was more about their defense, as they couldn’t gain any separation until the third quarter, where they restricted the Hawks to just 19 points to start to pull away. The Knicks didn’t get much support from their bench players but all five starters finished in double figures in scoring.
Why the New York Knicks will win
- The Knicks have won each of their last 11 games as favorites against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The Hawks have lost each of their last seven Game 2s of a playoff series.
- The Knicks have covered the spread in each of their last seven home games against Eastern Conference opponents.
- The Hawks have failed to cover the spread in each of their last four games as underdogs.
Why the Atlanta Hawks will win
- The Knicks have lost each of their last seven playoff games against Southeast Division opponents following a win.
- The underdogs have won three of the Knicks’ last four Eastern Conference First Round games.
- The Knicks have failed to cover the spread in each of their last five playoff games following a win.
- The Hawks have covered the spread in four of their last five night games at Madison Square Garden.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Knicks’ last six Eastern Conference First Round home games against Southeast Division opponents has gone UNDER the total points line.
- Eleven of the Hawks’ last 12 Eastern Conference First Round road games have gone UNDER the total points line.
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.
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.
Matchup/League Facts
- 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).
- 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.
Knicks vs Hawks Prediction
The Hawks will again be without the injured Jock Landale, while the Knicks expect to have a full squad once again. The Knicks were good enough to hang onto home-court advantage thanks to some solid defense in the second half of Game 1, but the game was still up for grabs heading into the fourth quarter so the Hawks will feel like they are right in this contest. I wouldn’t be shocked at all if the Knicks were able to win by a bigger margin in this contest if they get off to another quick start, but the Hawks showed me enough to think that they can at least take this one down to the wire. I still expect the Knicks to get the win, but something tells me this one is going to be close.
