Knicks vs Hawks

New York comes in off a 5-2 run over its last seven meaningful games while Atlanta closed the regular season 2-3 but did steal Game 2 at the Garden, so recent form slightly favors the Knicks despite the Hawks’ strong late-season surge at State Farm. With Atlanta still missing backup center Jock Landale (ankle) and leaning heavily on Onyeka Okongwu inside, New York’s healthy core of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson has a tangible size and rebounding edge. Jalen Brunson and Towns already combined to carry Game 1 and have repeatedly punished this Hawks defense, while CJ McCollum’s hot start to the series has had to shoulder an outsized offensive burden just to keep Atlanta level. In a swing game with obvious second-round implications and New York already having proven it can win in this building, I’m willing to lay -138 on the Knicks moneyline and grade this play an A- for a strong but not risk-free edge. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 24/04/2026 14:34

Atlanta’s recent profile — three overs in its final five regular-season games and a defense that bled 116.5 points per night to opponents — combined with New York’s 116.5 offensive rating sets up another game where both sides can comfortably get into the low 100s. With the Hawks down a rim-rotating big in Landale and relying on Okongwu plus smaller lineups around McCollum, Jalen Johnson, and Dyson Daniels, their best path is to push pace and attack early in the clock rather than grind against the Knicks’ half-court defense. Brunson and Towns have already shown they can spam two-man actions against Atlanta’s back line, and McCollum’s pull-up scoring plus Johnson’s downhill game make it hard for either coach to slow things down for long in what could be a series-defining matchup. Given that the first two games landed right around this number and both teams’ offensive ceilings remain high, I like Over 214.5 at -110 as a solid but volatile B-grade play driven by talent and tempo more than defensive resistance. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 24/04/2026 14:34

Brunson’s late-game shotmaking and New York’s track record of closing tight contests — including their recent 108-105 win in this building — make laying the short -1.5 spread more attractive than backing a Hawks side that has still dropped four of its last seven overall despite strong home optics. Atlanta’s frontcourt depth is thinned by Landale’s absence, and while Jalen Johnson has been excellent against New York, he and McCollum are now seeing longer, more physical looks from OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges that tend to wear scorers down over a series. The Knicks’ ability to toggle between jumbo lineups with Towns/Robinson and smaller spacing groups with Josh Hart and Jordan Clarkson has already stressed Atlanta’s coverages, and that versatility usually shows up in late-game margin once benches shorten in a critical playoff road game. Because of the extra juice and the Hawks’ proven ability to punch back offensively I grade Knicks -1.5 at -120 as a B- value play, leaning on New York’s two-way ceiling more than a massive edge in expected margin. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 24/04/2026 14:34