Atlanta Hawks @ New York Knicks - December 11, 2024

Alright, folks! It’s game day, and I can feel the energy buzzing through the city as we gear up for a showdown between our beloved New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden. You know I never miss a chance to don my lucky jersey on game days, and tonight is no exception. The Knicks are coming in hot as 8.5-point favorites, and let me tell you, I’m feeling confident about this one!

The Knicks have been on a roll lately, winning five of their last six games. They just edged out the Raptors in their last outing with a score of 113-108. Sure, they didn’t cover the spread there, but that was just a minor hiccup in what has been an impressive stretch for them at home—6-1 SU in their last seven games at MSG! With an offensive output averaging over 118 points per game on nearly 50% shooting from the field, they’ve got firepower that can light up any arena.

Now let’s talk about those Hawks. They’ve had their ups and downs this season with a record of 13-12 SU and struggling against the spread at 10-15 ATS. Their recent loss to the Nuggets (141-111) was tough to watch; they failed to cover as underdogs and allowed way too many points. While they do have some talent on offense—averaging around 117 points per game—their defense has been shaky at best. They’re giving up more than they should while committing almost 20 fouls per game! That’s not going to cut it against a team like ours.

When it comes down to it, I expect our Knicks to take control early in this matchup. With their solid rebounding numbers (over 42 total rebounds per game) and ability to create turnovers (7 steals), they’ll be looking to capitalize on every opportunity against an Atlanta team that struggles defensively with over 16 turnovers per game.

And let’s not forget about scoring efficiency! The Knicks are hitting nearly 40% from beyond the arc while Atlanta lags behind at just under 34%. If New York can keep that three-point shooting going tonight, we could see them pull away quickly.

As for predictions? I’m calling it now: The Knicks will beat the Hawks tonight and cover that spread comfortably! Expect plenty of scoring action because both teams have shown tendencies to push the pace—especially Atlanta who has gone OVER in 17 of their last 25 games. So if you’re betting on totals tonight, lean towards OVER; I wouldn’t be surprised if we see something close to or even exceeding that total of 232.5.

So grab your snacks, settle into your seats (or your couch), and get ready for what promises to be an electrifying night of basketball! Let’s go Knicks!