Knicks -1 (-115)
Hawks vs. Knicks NBA Playoffs Game 5 Preview and Best Bet (Archive)
The Hawks will try to wrap up the series when they take on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. Let’s analyze this matchup and determine whether the series ends tonight or the Knicks live to play another day!
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks
Wednesday, June 2, 2021 – 7:30 PM EDT at Madison Square Garden
The Knicks played the Hawks close in all but the third quarter of Game 4 and that is all Atlanta needed to pull away with a 113-96 decision, taking a commanding 3-1 series lead. Who else but Trae Young would lead all scorers with 27 points? Teammates John Collins chipped in with 22 while Danilo Gallinari dropped 21 points off the bench for Atlanta. "We have so many guys who are skilled with the basketball," Collins said. "We have great chemistry with each other. I think the sky’s the limit with this team when we do the right things."
According to the NBA odds, this was supposed to be one of the most competitive first-round matchups as evidenced by the pick’em line installed to win the best-of-seven series. But the Hawks have taken control and wrested the homecourt advantage away from the Knicks to where they will now attempt to close it out in the Big Apple tonight. "Obviously, we’re excited to win a game," Young said. "But the job’s not done. It’s not done until the series is over. We have to have that same mentality, that same approach, try to go up to New York and finish it there."
Knicks Losing the Series and Their Cool
New York is frustrated and it is beginning to show. Leading scorer, Julius Randle, was greeted with a chorus of “Overrated!” by the Atlanta crowd and several of his miscues illustrated that the fans in the stands were having an impact.
After a sequence in which Randle missed a shot and then failed to deposit a layup, he went for another drive to the bucket and tossed a quick elbow to the face of defender, John Collins, who needed four stitches to close the wound. Nothing was initially called but upon a coach’s challenge and subsequent review, Randle was assessed an offensive foul.
Despite his bloodied lip, Collins was unfazed after the game, "I loved it. I felt like from the very start, we came out with the mindset that we were not going to let their physical game get to us. We matched their physicality and played our game."
But Randle wasn’t the only member of the Knicks venting his frustration at the visiting Hawks. Small forward, Reggie Bullock, was whistled for a technical foul after he went after Danilo Gallinari who was headed towards the Atlanta huddle near the bench. Bullock was apparently unhappy with a perceived cheap shot from Gallinari when he was restrained by his teammates. Bullock was probably more upset with his scoreless effort over 34 minutes of playing time.
Wanna Make a Bet?
The Hawks have been unstoppable at home recently, having reeled off 13 straight wins and posting a 21-2 mark over their last 23 games at home. However, it should be noted they are 1-3 at Madison Square Garden dating back to the regular season this year. New York is a tough place to play and the Knicks were 25-11 straight up during the regular season.
Atlanta is 1-6 against the number in their last seven road games and 1-4 ATS in the last five meetings in New York. Despite the 3-1 series lead, the venue means more than anything as these teams are evenly matched – on paper at least.
Let’s take a look at a few trends which favor the Knicks in this critical Game 5:
- Hawks are 1-5 ATS in their last 6 road games vs. a team with a home winning % of greater than .600.
- Hawks are 1-6-1 ATS in their last 8 Wednesday games.
- Hawks are 1-6 ATS in their last 7 road games.
- Knicks are 6-0-1 ATS in their last 7 games playing on 2 day’s rest.
- Knicks are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 Wednesday games
Let’s lay the point in our NBA picks and back the hometown team to stretch this series at least one more game.
NBA Pick: Knicks -1 (-115) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.