The New York Knicks took a 1-0 series advantage over the Atlanta Hawks with a 113-102 win on Saturday. Both teams remain in New York for the Game 2 matchup tonight, before traveling to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4.
You can check out the full series preview on DraftKings Network here.
Looking at the odds for the series opener, the Knicks enter as 5.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Hawks are +195 underdogs with the game total set at O/U 218.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Eastern Conference Game 2 matchup.
Game 1 Takeaways:
Jalen Brunson set the tone for the entire series in the early minutes of Game 1, scoring 19 points in the first quarter and shooting 8-for-11 in the process. New York got out to a 30-24 lead after the first period. The Knicks held a lead for 91% of the matchup and stretched their advantage to as many as 19. Karl-Anthony Towns added 25 points of his own, and the Knicks shot an impressive 48% on three-point attempts.
From the Hawks’ perspective, CJ McCollum led the scoring effort with 26 points. Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker struggled with efficiency in their first postseason appearance with expanded roles, shooting a combined 14-for-36 from the floor. Atlanta also allowed 22 fast-break points, which was not expected to be the case coming into the series. The Hawks finished the regular season ranked fourth in the regular season with 18.0 points per game in transition across the regular season. New York won the rebounding battle 45-40.
Ultimately, the Knicks covered the 6.5-point spread, and the game total remained under the 218.5 game total on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Hawks vs. Knicks Regular Season Results:
After pulling the plug on the Trae Young era at the midseason point, the Hawks found a new gear with their defensive-minded mentality. Atlanta has not missed a beat amid the major midseason shakeup, finishing as the sixth seed in the conference with a 46-36 overall record. Across the regular season, Atlanta has gone 44-38 against the spread, and the game total has gone 41-41 to the over/under.
Jock Landale is listed as out for the second consecutive postseason game, while Onyeka Okongwu is listed as questionable. Jalen Johnson headlines the production, posting averages of 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game across the regular season. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has had a breakout season in a new location, adding 20.8 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. CJ McCollum adds 18.7 points and 4.1 assists across his first 41 games with the organization, while Dyson Daniels, Jonathan Kuminga, and Zaccharie Risacher also play notable roles.
Looking at the regular season results, Quin Snyder’s group scored 118.5 points per game, which ranks sixth in the NBA. The Hawks also rank 14th in offensive rating, 13th in field goal percentage, and fifth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 116.0 points per game against Atlanta, which ranks 18th in the league. They also rank ninth in defensive rating, 18th in opponent field goal percentage, and 12th in opponent three-point percentage.
It has been an uneasy season for the Knicks, with some significant ups and downs. After losing in the Eastern Conference Finals last year, the organization changed coaches to bring in Mike Brown in an effort to get more production out of the same overall core. They won the In-Season Tournament as a sign of success, but also had some noteworthy low points. New York finished the regular season with a 53-29 record and sits in third place in the East. The Knicks have gone 44-39 against the spread, and the game total has gone 38-45 to the over/under.
OG Anunoby is the lone player on the Knicks’ injury report, listed as probable with a left ankle sprain. Jalen Brunson headlines the production with 26.0 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns pitches in 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists of his own across this regular season. Josh Hart sets the tone for this team from a hustle standpoint, while Mikal Bridges, Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet, and Tyler Kolek are capable of serving as X-factors in the rotation.
As a team, the Knicks are scoring 116.5 points per game, which ranks 10th in the NBA. New York also ranks third in offense rating, 11th in field goal percentage, and fourth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 110.1 points per game against the Knicks, which ranks fifth in the league. They also rank seventh in defensive rating, fifth in opponent field goal percentage, and 20th in opponent three-point percentage.
Hawks vs. Knicks pick, Game 2 best bet
It was an impressive win by the Knicks in the series opener, with a fair case to be made that it was not as close as the score indicates. The experience of New York was put on display, and Jalen Brunson set the tone right from the opening tip.
This youthful Atlanta core got its first taste of playoff basketball and will be more prepared for the moment tonight. Their biggest advantage is in their athleticism and ability to push the pace. The Hawks did not take advantage of this enough in the opening matchup and will make this a priority tonight. Players like Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Jonathan Kuminga, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker each possess an athletic gear that no player on the Knicks truly do. 13 points in transition and 15 points off Knicks’ turnovers are not nearly enough compared to how Atlanta needs to play.
The other key adjustment to expect is in the defense of Jalen Brunson. It changed a bit as the game went on, but the Hawks entered the game with the mindset of leaving Brunson in one-on-one coverage. The theory here is largely driven by the belief that the Knicks’ star is going to get his points regardless, and it is better to avoid creating additional advantages for New York by throwing multiple players and leaving others open. But the Hawks have the athletes and caliber of defenders to throw multiple bodies at the Knicks’ star and still recover. This also will aid in generating the level of turnovers and transition opportunities that they need.
It is fair to assess that the Knicks are the better overall team and more ready for a playoff run. But this is not a series I expect to be won by a major margin, and still like how the Hawks match up with this team overall. Expect the youthful roster to play with the necessary level of desperation from the opening tip and be more prepared for the eight of the moment. It is a completely different game if Brunson does not find his stride right away in Game 1, and this will be the number one priority tonight.
For the sake of the article, I am backing the Hawks to cover the 5.5-point spread and keep this competitive throughout. However, I believe Atlanta are live underdogs with a real chance of winning this game outright on the road. The Hawks have been one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference for a good portion of the second half of the season. Don’t expect them to roll over after just one playoff loss and buckle up for a thrilling Game 2 tonight.
