Knicks vs Hawks: The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.
Knicks vs Hawks: Prediction| Odds| Line| Spread| Picks
Prediction:
New York’s R.J. Barrett played hard, but was ultimately inefficient, scoring 30 points on nine-of-25 shooting, going one-of-seven from long range and 11-of-17 from the free throw line.
The win pulls the Hawks’ record even at 36-36, with last year’s Eastern Conference finalists set for a play-in battle as they occupy the 10 seed.
Odds:
Young, who became public enemy number one in New York when he erupted in the play-offs, eliminating the Knicks in the process, was spectacular again on Tuesday night.
He finished with a game-high 45 points (13-of-25 shooting, seven-of-15 from three) to go with eight assists, and was supported by a season-high 32 points (11-of-20 shooting, four-of-10 from three) from Bogdan Bogdanovic off the bench.
Line:
Jordan Poole was again impressive for the Warriors as he soaked up the extra minutes and usage, scoring 26 points (nine-of-23 from the field, five-of-13 from deep) to go with six assists.
For the Magic, exciting rookie Franz Wagner was terrific, scoring 18 points on six-of-nine shooting (six-of-six from the free throw line) while snatching two steals and blocking one shot.
Spread:
Trae Young was stuck in COVID-19 health and safety protocols when the Hawks played the Knicks in New York on Christmas, making Tuesday’s matchup Young’s first game back in Madison Square Garden since he torched the Knicks in the first round last season’s playoffs.
After averaging 29 points and just under 10 assists in that first-round series, including a 36-point showing in the Game 5 clincher in New York.
Picks:
Jokic has made easy work of the Clippers this season, and I expect that continue at home Tuesday. In his previous three matchups against LA, he’s averaged 32.0 points, 16.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists in 38.3 minutes.
Denver is also favored by a modest 6.5 points, so the game figures to stay relatively close, meaning Jokic should have to contribute a full game’s worth of minutes and production.
