New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks 01/04/2021 NBA Odds, Preview and Prediction

The New York Knicks travel to the Hoosier State to take on the Indiana Pacers on January 4, 2021, at the State Farm Arena.

New York is looking to build on their upset of the Indiana Pacers in their last outing. The Knicks outlasted the Pacers 106-102 last Saturday. Meanwhile, the Hawks will try to bounce back from Thursday’s 96-91 home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Atlanta blew a 15-point third-quarter lead against Cleveland and lost for only the second time this season. New York has won two out of the last three head-to-head meetings between these two teams including a 136-131 win last March 11, 2020, in Atlanta.

New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have been on a roll as of late as they have won three out of their last four games after dropping their first two games of the season. The Knicks head to this game coming off a 106-102 win over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. Austin Rivers scored 15 points and hit big baskets down the stretch to help the Knicks improve to 3-3 on the season.

Julius Randle leads the Knicks in rebounding and scoring at 21.2 points and 10.5 per game, respectively. Alec Burks is New York’s second-leading scorer at 20.7 points per game while R.J .Barrett is scoring 17.0 points and grabbing 7.0 boards per contest. Elfrid Payton and Austin Rivers are also putting up double-digit scoring. Mitchell Robinson has been terrific on defense at 7.8 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game.

New York is the NBA’s lowest-scoring team this season at 101.7 points per game scored. They are 10th off the glass with an average of 47.2 rebounds per game and 20th in passing at 23.0 assists per contest. The Knicks however have the 5th best scoring defense at 104.7 points per game conceded.

What are the Moneyline Odds?

Knicks

+210

Hawks

-250

Odds from BetOnline as of 01/04/2021

Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks opened the season with a 3-0 record but have been 1-2 since then. The Hawks lost a close 4-point contest against the KD and Kyrie-led Nets for their first loss of the season. Atlanta avenged the loss one game later but after picking up their biggest win of the season, they succumbed to the Cleveland Cavaliers in their last outing. The Hawks are 4-2 and have the second-best record in the East right now.

Trae Young is having a fantastic start, averaging 28.2 points and 8.3 assists per game. John Collins is putting up 17.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this season while Clint Capela is scoring 10.5 points and pulling down 12.0 rebounds per game. De’Andre Hunter, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kevin Huerter, and Cam Reddish are also scoring in double digits for Atlanta.

Atlanta is the second highest-scoring team in the league this season at 120.0 points per game. They are also second in rebounding at 49.2 boards grabbed per contest and are 11th in passing at 25.0 assists per game. The Hawks are ranked 19th in scoring defense at 112.2 points per game allowed.

Who Wins?

The Knicks are 3-3 SU in six games played this season. New York is 2-2 SU in their last four road games, 1-4 SU in their last five games against the Southeast Division, and 5-15 SU in their last 20 games played in January. The Hawks are 4-2 SU in their last six games played. Atlanta is 4-14 SU in their last 18 games played against the Atlantic division, and 3-10 SU in their last 13 home games played on a Monday. Head to head, the Knicks have won five out of the last seven meetings between these two teams.

New York is coming off a strong game. The Knicks defeated the Indiana Pacers as 9.5 point underdogs. New York went on an 11-0 run to close the game and played great defense down the stretch to pull off the upset. The Knicks are the lowest-scoring team in the league but their defense has been one of the best this season. Barrett is averaging 17.0 points 7.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game this season and should be the key player for the team in this game.

The Hawks have been soaring to start the season. They are 4-2 SU and ATS with the second-best record in the East.

The Knicks head to this game with plenty of confidence after taking down the Pacers. But the Hawks are raring to bounce back after dropping a close game to the Cavs. New York has dominated this matchup but the Hawks have been the better team this season. Atlanta is looking like a playoff contender and they should bounce back with a win over the Knicks.

Prediction: Atlanta Hawks

Other Bets To Make

New York is 3-3 ATS in their last six games. The Knicks are 2-2 ATS in their last four games played on the road, and 4-1 ATS in their last five Monday games. Atlanta is 4-2 ATS in their last six games played. The Hawks are 0-4-1 ATS in their last five games played at home, 0-5-1 ATS in their last six Monday games. Head to head, the Knicks are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven games played against the Hawks.

What are the Spread Odds?

Knicks

+6 (+100)

Hawks

-6 (-120)

Odds from BetOnline as of 01/04/2021

The Hawks are having one of their best starts in recent memory. However, they are undervalued here because they are coming off a loss to the Cavs last Saturday. This is also a terrible spot for the Knicks who are playing in their fourth straight road games. New York could also be without Alec Burks due to an ankle injury plus they are already without Obi Toppin. The Hawks have been really good this season and have covered four of six games. I expect them to bounce back with a win here.

Prediction: Hawks -6

The total has gone under in four out of the last five games played by the Knicks. The over is 7-3 in the last road games played by New York. The total has gone under in four out of the last six games played by the Hawks. The over is 14-6 in Atlanta’s last 20 games played against the Eastern Conference. Head to head, the total has gone over in 13 out of the last 19 games played between these two teams. These teams have seen the total go over in nine out of their last 12 games played in Atlanta.

Atlanta is the second-highest scoring team in the league at 120 points per game this season and they also don’t have the best defense at 112.2 points per game allowed, 19th in the NBA. However, the Hawks are coming off a game where they were held to 91 points by the Cavs and will be without Danilo Gallinari. The Knicks are on the opposite end in scoring, averaging a league-low of 101.7 points per game while also owning the 5th best scoring defense in the league at 104.7 points per game. New York will be without Toppin while Alec Burks, Frank Ntilikina, and Dennis Smith Jr. are listed as day to day. This should be a low-scoring game.

Prediction: Under 222

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