The Knicks and Hawks are back at Madison Square Garden Monday night for Game 2 of their first round playoff series. The Knicks took Game 1 in impressive fashion with a good blend of offense and defense, and led by as much as 19 points in the win.
With a quick turnaround for Game 2, the Knicks are 6-point favorites with the Over/Under set at 218.
Knicks vs. Hawks prediction, best bet
There was a lot to like about the Knicks’ performance in Game 1. They beat the uptempo Hawks at their own game scoring 22 fast break points to the Hawks’ 13. The Knicks also turned the Hawks’ 12 turnovers into 18 points.
Arguably the most impressive takeaway from Game 1 was how Karl-Anthony Towns dominated Atlanta’s frontcourt. It shouldn’t come as a surprise because that was the matchup most people expected the Knicks to target, but Towns’ aggressiveness was notable.
The Knicks big man attacked the Hawks on drives and got to the free throw line a ton, but also killed the Hawks from deep and shot 3-of-4 on 3s.
Onyeka Okongwu and the Hawks had few answers for Towns defensively and with back up center Jock Landale still out with an ankle injury, there won’t be much help coming for Okongwu in this series. Outside of forward Jalen Johnson, Mouhamed Gueye, or third center Tony Bradley, who joined the team just before the end of the season, the Hawks don’t many realistic options to guard Towns.
In fact, Okongwu popped up on the injury report with knee inflammation and is questionable for Game 2. Given their current lack up depth up front, it would be stunning if Okongwu didn’t suit up, but with or without him, the Knicks have the advantage inside.
Betting on the NBA?
Towns’ player props are still modest despite his performance. His points prop is listed at 20.5 at FanDuel and his 3-point prop is 1.5. In three games against the Hawks Towns has had at least 21 points and two 3-pointers in each game.
I like his odds to keep it rolling on Monday night.
The Pick: Karl-Anthony Towns Over 20.5 points (-118, FanDuel) | Towns Over 1.5 3-pointers (+102, bet365)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.
