The last time the Atlanta Hawks and the New York Knicks faced off in the postseason, the Hawks were Trae Young’s team, a fact pointed out by several Knicks fans late in New York’s 113-102 victory in Game 1 on Saturday. Now, though, Young is on the Washington Wizards, and Atlanta is led by Jalen Johnson.
Johnson — a first-time All-Star in 2025-26 — had 23 points and seven rebounds in Game 1 after averaging 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game during the regular season.
It was a fine performance, but the Hawks will need even more from Johnson if they want to even up the series in tonight’s Game 2, which begins at 8:10 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden.
Atlanta is a 6.5-point underdog for tonight’s clash at DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set to 217.5. Below, I’ve highlighted my favorite prop bet centered around Johnson.
Best Jalen Johnson Prop Bet on DraftKings Sportsbook
Jalen Johnson U6.5 Assists (-115)
Johnson was arguably the league’s second-most versatile player during the regular season, as of the five award-eligible players to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, his 7.9 assists per game trailed only Nikola Jokić (10.7). However, the Duke product is trending in the wrong direction; since the Hawks elevated CJ McCollum to the starting lineup on February 22, Johnson averaged just 7.1 assists per game, recording six or fewer in nine of his final 20 regular season games, including each of his last four. He averaged 14.8 potential assists per game before the lineup change and just 12.2 thereafter.
Johnson’s recording only three assists in Game 1 wasn’t a total fluke. He only had five potential assists, with Dyson Daniels (13 potential assists) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (nine) both out-pacing him. The Knicks allowed the sixth-fewest assists per game during the regular season, and between Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Mikal Bridges, they have exactly the sort of lengthy wings built to counter Atlanta’s ball movement-heavy offensive style. New York has only one negative defender — Jalen Brunson — and during the regular season, Johnson recorded assists to Alexander-Walker, Daniels, and Onyeka Okongwu more frequently than he did McCollum, whom Brunson guarded in Game 1.
