Knicks vs Hawks Picks, Predictions & Betting Splits for Game 3

• Down 2-1, the New York Knicks are slight road favorites in Game 4 of their Round 1 series vs the Atlanta Hawks
• Atlanta has won back-to-back games in this series in thrilling 1-point decisions
• Read below for the latest Knicks vs Hawks odds, betting splits and my expert prediction

The battle-tested New York Knicks (53-29, 22-19 away) were supposed to be the ones coming up clutch in close games against the upstart Atlanta Hawks (46-36, 24-17 home).

Instead, a pair of 1-point wins, including Game 3’s 109-108 thriller in Atlanta Thursday night has the Hawks up 2-1 in the series and in position to really step on the Knicks’ throat.

The books still think New York isn’t situation critical, as they have the visitors are slight road favorites in the NBA odds.

Tip-off is scheduled tonight at 6pm ET from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA, with NBC and Peacock carrying the national broadcast.

Knicks vs Hawks Picks & Prediction

• Pick: Knicks ML (-130 at bet365)

I really wanted to take the Under here, considering the teams have combined to touch the 110-point plateau just once through the series. However, the books have it priced just at the point where even a slight offensive explosion from either team and that number gets obliterated.

Instead, let’s go with the more desperate team. New York hasn’t been great, but they’ve been good enough to win each of the last two games, and couldn’t land the plane.

In Game 2, they blew a 13-point lead in the third quarter and lost 107-106 behind a monster effort from veteran CJ McCollum. In Game 3, they battled back from 18 down, including closing an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter but couldn’t finish it off. McCollum’s clutch jumper and Jalen Brunson’s turnover on a drive with 1.2 seconds left sealed a 109-108 Hawks win.

Brunson has laboured through this series, leading the team in scoring but shooting just 42.3% from the field. After no other Knick joined Brunson at the 20-point plane in Game 2, Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby combined to score 50 to help out the point guard, who had 26.

However, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart were off, combining for just two points. Bridges went scoreless in 21 minutes and is averaging 7.0 points per game on 36.4% shooting.

This Atlanta experiment is way ahead of schedule, but budding stars Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels and Jonathan Kuminga are getting big time reps against a legit contender in the NBA Championship odds. Right now, McCollum is the temporary go-to guy as the other youngsters watch and learn.

And while the story is nice, the Knicks had won five of six against Atlanta heading into this series. After a few minor blips, and upset performances, New York should be able to get things to even.

They are one of the league’s better teams at bouncing back, going 18-12-0 this year after taking a loss.

Knicks vs Hawks Odds

The graphic above shows the best available odds, which are subject to change

New York is getting -130 odds on the moneyline, courtesy of bet365, while picking Atlanta to win straight up offers +115 odds at Caesars. The spread has some variance, depending where you elect to shop. The Hawks are getting 2.5 points at BetMGM, and Atlanta covering that spread pays out at -115 odds.

The Knicks are giving 1.5 points over at FanDuel, and winning by two or more pays out at -110 odds.

There isn’t as much movement on the total, which sits at 214.5 points. The Over pays out at -106 at FanDuel, and -110 at bet365. The Over cashed in Game 3 at 214.5 points, while the Under connected in Games 1 and 2, when the line sat at 217.5 points.

Knicks vs Hawks Betting Splits

Looking at the NBA public betting splits, and bettors are calling for the Over in a big way, with 90% of the money expecting the teams to cross 214.5 points, with 91% of the bets going to the Over as well.

Meanwhile, it’s about as even as you can split the spread wagers. Atlanta to cover 2.5 points is getting 52% of the best and 49% of the money, while the Knicks are getting 51% of the money at 1.5 points, and 48% of the bets.

The betting public is going hard on the Knicks to win straight up, with 74% of the money with just 59% of the bets taking New York, with 41% of the bets and 26% of the money on the Hawks.

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