7:30 pm
December 21

Hawks @ Knicks

Who will WIN this matchup?

Atlanta Hawks (7-23)

@ New York Knicks (9-24)

 

Current odds:

Atlanta Hawks: (+125)

New York Knicks: (-145)

 

• The line for this game is New York by 2 points.

• The highlights have been few and far between for the Atlanta Hawks, but the rebuilding team heads to New York for a Friday matchup with the Knicks after perhaps their best performance of the season. Atlanta led by 11 points after one quarter and held off a late Washington rally on Tuesday for a 118-110 home victory, just the seventh time in 30 games the Hawks have walked off the court winners.

• The Knicks also are struggling, having dropped three consecutive games and eight of their past nine following Wednesday’s 131-109 road defeat at Philadelphia. There was a bit of good news for New York, as leading scorer Tim Hardaway Jr. returned after missing one game with planter fasciitis and scored a team-high 27 points.

• Forward John Collins finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds against the Wizards, and in his past 11 games has posted nine double-doubles and is averaging 20.6 points and 11.4 rebounds. Center Dewayne Dedmon has two consecutive double-doubles and is 6-for-6 from 3-point range in that span. The Hawks are third in the league in forced turnovers per game (17.1) but rank last in turnovers committed per contest (18.2).

• Hardaway averages 21.2 points per game and finished 3-for-7 from 3-point range Wednesday, after shooting 2-for-11 in his previous two contests. Guard Emmanuel Mudiay averaged 20 points per game in his previous nine games entering Wednesday, but finished with 11 points on 3-of-12 shooting from the field. New York ranks last in the NBA in assists (19.8 per game).

• The Knicks have allowed 120-plus points four times in their previous eight games.

• Atlanta G Vince Carter passed Paul Pierce for seventh place on the NBA’s career 3-point list Wednesday (2,145).

• New York is 2-0 against the Hawks this season, including a 126-107 home victory Oct. 17 in the season opener.

5/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
New York Knicks
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