The Atlanta Hawks (13-12) and New York Knicks (15-9) will meet in the NBA Cup quarterfinals tonight. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The game will broadcast live on ESPN.
The Knicks are 7-point favorites over the Hawks on the spread (Knicks -7), with the over/under set at 237 total points. New York is a -280 favorite to win outright, while Atlanta is +230 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Hawks vs. Knicks predictions and NBA picks for Wednesday, December 11.
Hawks vs. Knicks Prediction
Spread
My Knicks vs. Hawks best bet is on the Knicks to cover the spread (-6.5), with the best line available at BetMGM and ESPN Bet. But as always, be sure to shop for the best line using our live NBA odds page.
Moneyline
I will not be betting the moneyline for this contest as a standalone bet. However, I will be taking the Knicks moneyline in my same game parlay for tonight's matchup.
Over/Under
I'm staying away from the total in this spot.
My Pick: Knicks -6.5 (-115)
Hawks vs. Knicks Odds
| Hawks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+8 -110 | 236.5 -110o / -110u | +275 |
| Knicks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-8 -110 | 236.5 -110o / -110u | -345 |
- Hawks vs. Knicks spread: Knicks -7
- Hawks vs. Knicks total: 237 total points
- Hawks vs. Knicks moneyline: Hawks +230, Knicks -280
- Hawks vs. Knicks best bet:Knicks -6.5
Hawks vs. Knicks Preview
The Knicks and the Hawks face off on Wednesday evening for a date in Vegas against the Bucks in the NBA Cup Semifinals. This should be a thrilling game with the Knicks' offense and the Pace with which Atlanta plays.
Hopefully, we see everyone in this game. The Hawks have listed De'Andre Hunter and Trae Young (Achilles) as probable, while Jalen Johnson (shoulder) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (quad) are listed as questionable. The Knicks listed Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) as probable and Josh Hart (ankle) as questionable.
Trae and KAT would be worth about 3 points to the spread, and Jalen Johnson and Josh Hart about a point each.
The Hawks have been an absolute roller coaster this season with victories over the Knicks, Cavs, and Bucks, but losses to the Wizards and the Blazers. They've been extremely unpredictable at 13-12, but they have just the 21st-ranked Adjusted Net Rating (-3.1), per Dunks and Threes.
The Knicks, on the other hand, are 15-9 with the league's sixth-best Adjusted Net Rating (+4.6) and are being carried by their offense which is second-best in the league (118.1), per Dunks and Threes. The duo of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are absolutely eviscerating defenses.
Towns has been tremendous this season. He is averaging 25.1 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists this season on 53/44/85 shooting splits. His ability to not only stretch the floor on offense, but to attack on the interior while also dominating the boards has been critical for the Knicks' success.
His PR line is set at 37.5 and he blew by that with 36 and 16 in the Knicks' earlier matchup with Atlanta. Further, he has exceeded this mark in 55% of games this season. Considering Atlanta's defensive woes and that they play at the third-fastest Pace, it is a clear Pace-up spot for the Knicks.
Hawks vs. Knicks Prediction
The Knicks are the flat-out better team this season. They are better than the Hawks in every advanced metric and now that they have Precious Achiuwa back on the bench, it gives them some defensive flexibility they didn't have when he was hurt.
The Hawks allow threes at the second-highest frequency in the league and their opponents shoot the best percentage in the NBA at 39.1%, per Cleaning the Glass. While the Knicks do not take an overwhelming amount of 3s, they shoot 40.8% from beyond the arc, second-best in the NBA. This is a significant edge for New York and I expect them to exploit that.
I'll lay the 6.5 points with New York here. And for my SGP, I'll combine Knicks moneyline with Brunson to make 3+ three-pointers, and KAT to make 2+ three-pointers
Best Bet: Knicks -6.5 (-115)
Same Game Parlay: Knicks ML, Jalen Brunson 3+ Three Pointers, Karl-Anthony Towns 2+ Three Pointers (+266)
Knicks vs. Hawks Betting Trends
