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The Atlanta Hawks were excellent against the spread down the stretch, and despite getting smoked in the second half of Game 1 vs. the New York Knicks, they will be competitive in this series, particularly in Game 2.
With Nickeil Alexander-Walker coming off an uncharacteristically poor shooting night, we’re building an SGP banking on a bounce-back game from the guard en route to cashing the Over.
Read on for our full Hawks vs. Knicks predictions ahead of tip on Monday, April 20.
Our best Hawks vs Knicks SGP for Game 2
I picked the Atlanta Hawks to cover the same 5.5-point spread in Game 1, and they lost by 11. But I’m not deterred, as Atlanta has a clear path to making this one more competitive.
The Hawks were a putrid 12 of 19 from the charity stripe, falling well below their season average of 77.4%.
The New York Knicks hit 25 of 30 free throws, and Atlanta can do a better job at limiting opportunities there. The Hawks went 18-8 against the spread between the All-Star break and the end of the season, and I expect them to keep this one close as they look to avoid a 2-0 hole.
The Hawks and Knicks faced off four times this season, finishing with combined game totals of 215, 213, 210, and 253. Game 1 finished just a bucket shy of hitting the Over, and I’m betting on that extra bucket in Game 2.
Atlanta’s shooting was off, as the team hit just 44% of their field-goal attempts, and leading scorer Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished with only 17 points on a miserable 6-for-17 shooting. A slightly more efficient offensive attack from the visitors should push this one to hit the Over.
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