Eastern Conference foes are set to clash at Madison Square Garden on Friday. The Knicks (22-10) have their eyes set on a trip to the Finals. As for the Hawks (16-19), it’s been a disappointing start to the season. Still, Atlanta has enough talent to bounce back over the next few weeks.
In this battle between rivals, which players are poised for a big performance? The Knicks are favored by 6.5 points (-118) over the Hawks, with the over/under set at 242.5 points. Here are two of the top prop bet picks on DraftKings Sportsbook for tonight’s Atlanta vs. New York matchup.
Hawks vs. Knicks prop bet picks
Vit Krejci 3+ three-pointers made (+108)
Trae Young (quads) won’t be suiting up tonight, leaving the Hawks without their primary point guard. As a result, there’s an abundance of minutes up for grabs in Atlanta’s backcourt. One name that stands to benefit is Vit Krejci. The veteran has enjoyed a career year, emerging as a valued member of Quin Snyder’s rotation. Through 31 games, he’s averaging 10.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists.
Krejci’s claim to fame is his shooting, among the association’s best from beyond the arc. This season, the Czech marksman is knocking down just under 46% of his three-point attempts. Even more impressive, he’s done so on a career-high 5.9 shots per game from deep. The Knicks have been somewhat vulnerable when it comes to their perimeter defense. Opponents are knocking down 14.6 three-pointers per game vs. New York, fourth-most in basketball. When these teams met last Saturday, Krejci drained three long balls. A repeat performance could be in the cards on Friday.
Miles McBride 12+ points (-102)
On a deep, dangerous Knicks squad, Miles McBride often gets lost in the shuffle. The man known as Deuce may not be the flashiest player on the floor, but he’s an effective two-way presence. Over games this season, the West Virginia alum has recorded 12.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists. In addition, he’s shot over 44% from three-point range.
McBride has shown no signs of rust since making his return from an ankle sprain. The guard has tallied at least 14 points over his last two games. The continued absence of Josh Hart (ankle) should ensure even more minutes for Deuce going forward. Karl-Anthony Towns (illness) is questionable as well. Should the center miss time, New York will need more scoring from its role players. The Hawks are terrible on defense, coughing up the seventh-most points per game this season (120.1). That bodes well for another productive evening from McBride.
