Free Pick: Hawks vs. Knicks Odds
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2026 NBA Playoffs Handicapping – Atlanta Hawks vs New York Knicks
(0-0) Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks (0-0)
Date: Apr 18, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM ET
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
NBA Moneyline Odds: Hawks +193 | Knicks -213 (Bet Now!)
Today’s NBA Point Spread Betting Odds: Hawks +5.5 | Knicks -5.5
NBA Basketball Gambling Total: O/U: 216.5
Here’s why I’m taking the hometown favorite as outlined in my Hawks Knicks free pick and gambling prediction for Game 1 of the East’s #3 vs. #6 NBA playoffs matchup.
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Hawks vs. Knicks Gameday
It’s day one of the 2026 NBA Playoffs with the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks on tap in the third game of the day at 6:00 p.m.
Atlanta finished the season in the sixth seed with a record of 46-36, coming up just short of their preseason projected win/loss total of 46.5 games.
New York finished the season in the third seed with a record of 53-29, coming up just short of their preseason projected win/loss total of 53.5 games.
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Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks Odds & Last 5
For the past three years, the Knicks have won the head-to-head regular-season series versus the Hawks. In this campaign, they led two games to one.
Historically, the teams have met in the postseason on three occasions, with the Knicks winning twice, but the Hawks won the most recent (2021) meeting when Trae Young was still with Atlanta and famously quieted the Mecca.
Coming into the playoffs, the Hawks were one of the hottest teams, winning 19 of their final 24 contests. New York was also strong to close the season, winning 12 of their final 16 contests.
The Knicks are favored by a spread of 5.5 points while the over/under is 216.5 points.
Hawks Stats
In the regular season, the Hawks ranked tied for 14th (115.0) on offense and tied for ninth on defense (112.9). Additionally, Atlanta ranks 12th in net rating (+2.2) and runs the fifth-quickest pace (102.50).
The East’s sixth seed averages 118.5 points per game, while its opponents average 116.0 points. In terms of dimes and boards, Atlanta averages 30.1 (first) and 43.5 (18th), respectively.
Team leaders* in key categories for Atlanta feature Jalen Johnson for scoring (22.5 points), rebounding (10.3), and assists (7.9) while Dyson Daniels is the top steal man (2.0) and Oneyeka Okongwu (1.1) for blocks.
Seven Hawks shoot above the league average while the team as a whole shoots 37.1%.
*minimum 20 games
**Leads the NBA
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Knicks Stats
New York ranks fourth (118.7) offensively, seventh defensively (112.3), fifth in net rating (+6.4), and runs the 25th-ranked pace in the association (97.71).
The Knicks are averaging 116.5 points per game while their opponents average 110.1 points. In terms of dimes and boards, New York averages 27.4 (13th) and 45.6 (seventh), respectively.
New York’s team leaders* are Jalen Brunson for scoring (26.0 points) and assists (6.8), Karl-Anthony Towns for rebounds (11.9), OG Anunoby for steals (1.6), and Mitchell Robinson for blocks (1.2).
The Knicks produce above the league average from the perimeter, shooting 37.3% as a team, while nine* players shoot above the league average.
*minimum 20 games
**Leads the NBA
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks bottom line:
Diving into the stats, two areas stand out: pace and rebounding.
The Hawks run the fifth-fastest pace, while the Knicks are content to play in more of a half-court style with their 25th-ranked pace. Clearly, the latter is more suited to the typically slower playoff pace, so the Hawks will need to be intentional in keeping to their identity.
On the glass, the Knicks have the decided edge, ranking seventh in total rebounds versus the Hawks’ 18th rank. That’s a significant factor given the Hawks love to grab the board and get out in transition to ignite their offense.
Moreover, New York grabs 52.2% of their total rebounds (5th), while ranking fourth in defensive percentage (71.5%) and seventh in offensive percentage (32.8%). In comparison, the Hawks rank 17th (49.5%), ninth (70.2%), and 20th (29.1%).
The big question is whether the Knicks will opt to focus on their transition defense and subsequently give up some rebounding in order to slow the pace of the Hawks.
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks Basketball Betting Trends
- Atlanta is 13-7 ATS in its last 20 games.
- The total has gone OVER in 6 of Atlanta’s last 9 games on the road.
- Atlanta is 15-5 SU in its last 20 games.
- Also, the Knicks are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games.
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of New York’s last 5 games.
- Additionally, New York is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games at home.
Hawks Knicks Free Pick: Knicks -5.5
Here is my Hawks Knicks free pick.
While it’s fair to cite the acceleration of the Hawks, post All-Star Break, it’s also worth noting they faced copious tanking clubs and teams that were missing core talent.
The question then is, how good are the Hawks really? Can they bring the same excellence they played with down the stretch to the playoffs when facing a quality opponent that has game planned for them?
In terms of matchups, the Hawks will likely put defensive stalwart Dyson Daniels on Jalen Brunson, but could be in trouble trying to deal with Karl-Anthony Towns, who is equally adept at stretching the court or working inside. KAT can be polarizing, but the spotlight will be on him as he can be the difference maker in this series.
Conversely, the Knicks will need to address Jalen Johnson, who flirts with a triple-double nightly, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who can also push the ball in transition. Look for OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges to be tasked with those assignments, with Josh Hart as an x-factor.
Atlanta needs to be cautious about getting into clutch time with the Knicks where Jalen Brunson excels leading the Knicks to 21-13 in clutch time games. New York ranks sixth in clutch time win percentage (61.8%) versus Atlanta who rank 18th (48.6%).
This is an opportunity for the Knicks, not just to appease the critics but to keep their hopes alive to reach the NBA Finals. Granted, they’ll have arguably the toughest path in the East with the Hawks up first, followed by presumably the Celtics in Round 2, and the Pistons in the Conference Finals.
On paper, this looks like a competitive series, but I’m leaning more toward New York, who are built to be at its best in the postseason. To that end, I’m looking for the Knicks to jump on the Hawks in Game 1 and take the early series lead.
Today’s NBA Free Pick
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NBA Betting Tweet Of The Day
Here are dates and (most) times for all games in the Knicks-Hawks series: pic.twitter.com/pY2IGsrSbB
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) April 15, 2026
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