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The Atlanta Hawks face off against the New York Knicks in what should be a very competitive first-round series in the Eastern Conference. In this 2021 NBA Playoffs odds post, we're going to look at the Hawks-Knicks series odds, schedule, prediction and so much more.
These teams had identical records in the regular season and New York owned the tiebreaker because they swept the Hawks 3-0 in the head-to-head series. With Trae Young and a squad that's finally healthy, will the Hawks be able to show why they are ready to take the Eastern Conference by storm for years to come?
Hawks-Knicks Series Odds (5/31)
Hawks-Knicks Series Winner
New York Knicks (+122)
Hawks-Knicks Series Spread
Atlanta Hawks -1.5 (+148)
New York Knicks +1.5 (-184)
Hawks-Knicks Series Schedule
Game 1: ATL 107-105 NYK
Game 2: ATL 92-101 NYK
Game 3: NYK 94-105 ATL
Game 4: NYK 96-113 ATL
Game 5: ATL 103-89 NYK
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No. 4 New York Knicks
The New York Knicks were without-a-doubt the most compelling story of the 2021 NBA season. New York finished dead last in most statistical categories last season and seemed destined for failure once again. They made some nice little offseason additions, but nothing that was truly noteworthy. The biggest offseason move wasn't made by the front office. It was made by the 2021 recipient of the Most Improved Player award, Julius Randle. Randle elevated his game to a new level this season, which earned him the award and his first career All Star appearance.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau turned this team into a defensive juggernaut and when the Knicks made a move to reunite Thibs with Derrick Rose, this team took off. Rose, Randle, and RJ Barrett have come together quite nicely and have made this team serviceable enough on the offensive end of the floor. The Knicks are no longer a pushover and look to be destined to make some noise in the east for years to come. They swept this Hawks team during the regular season and shot over 50% from the field in every game. New York now gets home court in their first playoff series since 2013 against a familiar foe.
No. 5 Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are making their first playoff appearance in five years and seem to be a team that'll be in this spot fairly regularly in the future. For a team that doesn't necessarily have realistic championship expectations this season, the playoff experience for Trae Young and a squad of youngsters will be crucial. With that being said, this team is extremely talented, deep, and will not be a pushover for anyone in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Trae Young is a phenom and creates problems for any opposing defense. The emphasis will be put on him in every game, which will provide an opportunity for someone else on this roster to step up and play hero ball.
Atlanta really took off mid-season when they fired head coach Lloyd Pierce and replaced him with assistant Nate McMillan. The team really gelled under McMillan and dominated for stretches despite a plethora of injuries. The Hawks are in a great spot in this series because the playoff experience on these rosters is fairly even, which means this series will come down to sheer talent. Atlanta will have to put an emphasis on slowing Julius Randle down, which many teams have failed to do this season. With John Collins and Clint Capela down low, they do have the necessary big bodies to do so, though. It'll be interesting to see if they can steal a game at Madison Square Garden. If so, we will certainly have a brawl of a series on our hands.
Games 1-4 update: After splitting the first two games in the Big Apple, the Hawks took control of this series by defending their home court with victories over the Knicks in Game 3 and Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead.
Hawks-Knicks Series Prediction and Pick (5/27)
Although New York is the higher seed, I believe that Atlanta possesses a more talented roster this season. I give the coaching edge to New York and with Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson on the roster, I give them the slight edge in valuable experience as well. I could very well see this series going seven games, which also gives the edge to New York. Securing home court advantage in the first round was a huge win for the Knicks and for a team with nothing to lose, I see this young New York squad coming away with the series in a series that will go the distance.
FINAL PICKS
Hawks-Knicks Series Winner: New York Knicks (+122)
Hawks-Knicks Series Spread: New York Knicks +1.5 (-184)
