| Game Time | 7:00 pm EST |
| Atlanta Hawks Line | +7 |
| New York Knicks Line | -7 |
| Total | 237 |
| TV: | NBA TV |
In the second Eastern conference quarterfinal of the NBA Cup, the New York Knicks are hosting the Atlanta Hawks. The Knicks finished in the first place of Group A with a perfect 4-0 record, while the Hawks finished first in Group C with a 3-1 record. The Knicks have been playing very good basketball lately, as they have lost only once in their last six games, and are back in Madison Square Garden, where they are playing their best basketball of the season. The Hawks have been also playing much better basketball lately, as they had six straight wins prior to their last defeat by Denver.
Below is a detailed analysis for Atlanta Hawks vs New York Knicks game.
Atlanta Hawks vs New York Knicks Prediction
New York Knicks Injury Report: Mitchell Robinson is out
Atlanta Hawks Injury Report: Jalen Johnson is day-to-day, Cody Zeller is out
New York Knicks Form and Trends
The Knicks have a 15-9 record this season and are sitting on the 4th place of the East. The Knicks are 11-12-1 against the spread and 14-10 in over/under. New York has an 8-3 home record, and are 6-4-1 against the spread, with a +13-point differential. The Knicks are 4-1 in their last 5 games. Over is 3-1 in their last 4 games.
The Knicks are coming off a 113-108 win in Toronto, as they shot with 51% from the field and saw all of their starters reaching double digits in scoring. Karl-Anthony Towns led New York’s offense with 24 points and a game-high 15 rebounds, also adding 6 assists.
Jalen Brunson leads the Knicks both in scoring with 25.2 points, and in assists made with 7.8 per game. Karl-Anthony Towns adds 25.1 points and a team-high 13.3 rebounds.
Atlanta Hawks Recent Form and Trends
The Atlanta Hawks have a 13-12 record this season and are sitting on the 7th place of the East. The Hawks are 10-15 against the spread and 17-8 in over/under. Atlanta has a 6-6 road record, and are 6-6 against the spread, with a -2.8-point differential. The Hawks are 4-1 in their last 5 games, and are 5-2 to the over in their last 7 games.
The Hawks are coming off a 111-141 loss by Denver, as they got torched by the Nuggets who shot with 63% from the field, while the Hawks shot with just 41%. Six Hawks players reached double digits in scoring, led by De’Andre Hunter with 20 points off the bench.
Trae Young leads the Hawks both in scoring with 20.9 points, and in assists made with 12.2 per game, which is the best in the league. Jalen Johnson adds 19.8 points, 5.5 assists and a team-high 9.9 rebounds.
Statistical Breakdown
Offensively, the Knicks average 117.8 points per game, which is the 7th-best in the NBA. They have the second-best field goal percentage, with 50.1%, and the second-best 3-point percentage, with 39.9%. Defensively, they allow 111 points per game (10th).
Offensively, the Hawks average 117.1 points per game, which ranks 8th in the NBA. They shoot with 46.3% from the field (16th), and with 34.1% from beyond the arc (23rd). Defensively, they are the third-worst team in the NBA, allowing 119.8 points per game.
In their previous meeting earlier this season, the Hawks won 121-116 at home. The Hawks are 3-1 in their last 4 meetings in New York. Over is 4-0 in their last 4 meetings.
Prediction
In this Atlanta Hawks vs New York Knicks Prediction, the Knicks are coming as home favorites. The Hawks have been doing very well in New York in their recent visits, and I think 7 points is a big spread, so I’m not going to pick a side. Both teams are trending towards higher scoring games lately, as they are 8-3 to the over in their last 11 games combined. Their only previous meeting this season was also a high scoring one, with total 237 points. Both teams have top-8 offenses in the league, the Knicks have the second-best shooting percentages, and the Hawks have the third-worst defense. All things point to another high scoring affair, so take the over the total in this one.
Nick’s Pick: Over 237