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Jeremy Perry
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks Game 2 Prediction, Playoff Odds
It was heartbreak at Madison Square Garden as the franchise was hoping for their first playoff win in a long time. The win was just icing on the cake for Young, who performed above expectations in his first ever postseason game to help give them a 1-0 series lead. The Hawks will have to battle it out in Madison Square Garden once again on Wednesday night. Will they be able to win both games on the road to start this series off or will the Knicks even the odds in Game 2?
Hawks vs. Knicks NBA Playoff Odds
The Atlanta Hawks are 2-7 ATS in their past nine playoff games when entering as the underdog. That didn’t seem to matter much during Game 1 as the team played better than many expected coming into this series.
On the other hand, the Knicks are 5-0-1 ATS in their last six games out when getting two days of rest in between. New York will have much needed time to rest and recover from their disappointing loss a few days ago.
Atlanta Hawks
Some had doubts on how Young would perform under an increased amount of pressure and he silenced those who questioned him. Dropping 32 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, he boosted his team despite a rambunctious Knicks crowd. Lou Williams was fantastic during his time on the floor as well, putting up 13 points in that many minutes off the bench.
Atlanta will have to continue to battle through one of the best defensive teams in the league throughout this series but at least they have Young and Williams to keep them afloat. They figure to have more upside, though, as John Collins, Clint Capela and De’Andre Hunter scored just 26 points in Game 1. That trio normally averages 47.8 points per game.
New York Knicks
It wasn’t a great game for this young Knicks squad but they are hungry for a bounce back performance. Julius Randle hit a few clutch shots towards the end but he only ended with 15 points, 12 rebounds and four assists while going 6-23 from the field. RJ Barrett didn’t shoot the ball well either, only putting up 14 points of his own on 6-15 shooting.
One positive from their loss in Game 1 was the excellence of Alec Burks off the bench. Burks had 27 points and was the main reason that they were able to stay in the game for as long as they did. New York needs more from Randle, who is the star of the team, and the cast has to step up. It’s a real positive that their offense didn’t play well and the team still lost by just two points.
ATL
NY