Knicks vs. Hawks Odds, Pick, Prediction | NBA Betting Preview

Knicks vs. Hawks Odds

The Knicks are on a roll and will put their new rotation to its toughest test yet when they take on the Hawks on the road.

Atlanta has dropped three of five and has been in something of a holding pattern after its impressive five-game winning streak in January.

Will the tide turn here the Hawks? Let's break this Knicks vs. Hawks matchup down in our betting preview along with a prediction for Wednesday night's Eastern Conference clash.

Hart Has Given Knicks a Boost

The Knicks enter Wednesday having won four of their last five, and in that time they are 3-1-1 against the spread. Luckily, they are about to start a stretch where they won't be home very often, which is good news. The Knicks are a staggering 18-10 ATS and 16-12 straight up on the road this season and 12-16-3 ATS and 16-15 straight up at home.

New York has also been buoyed by its big trade deadline acquisition over the last couple of games. While RJ Barrett continues to struggle, Josh Hart has stepped right in and posted a +29.4 Net Rating in his 54 minutes on the floor, while the team has been out-scored by nine points per 100 possessions without him. His impact on the glass has also been evident; the Knicks have grabbed nearly 59% of available rebounds with Hart in there compared to 46.3% without him.

The difference in Net Rating stems largely from Hart's contributions on offense, which is obvious considering how well he's shot the ball. The former Trail Blazers guard's rebounding impact is also important, particularly for a team which has missed Mitchell Robinson down low.

Hawks Cooling Off

Speaking of absences, the Hawks may be without John Collins once again. The Hawks forward is listed as questionable here with left hip flexor tightness after missing Atlanta's last game. That should force De'Andre Hunter (who's listed as probable) into greater action, and it also means Saddiq Bey will get some more minutes as well.

Bey's small sample size isn't as fun as Hart's on the surface, but he has still had a meaningful impact. In the 21 minutes he played in his Hawks debut on Monday, he managed 12 points and five boards on 4-of-9 shooting. While the Hawks were out-scored by 2.9 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor, they were even worse with a -7.6 Net Rating in the non-Bey minutes. Atlanta registered a 60% Rebounding Rate with Bey and sat at 49.1% without him.

The Hawks as a team have fallen off just a bit after running very hot in the middle of January. They're now 5-7 in their last 12 and enter this one 6-6 against the spread over that span. They're just 9-12 ATS as home favorites this season and 12-14 ATS in all home games,

Knicks-Hawks Pick

The Knicks are playing with undeniable energy right now in the immediate aftermath of the Hart trade. They've shot 38.6% from 3 in the last two games, which puts them on a level playing field with Atlanta in that area. Even better, Hart's inclusion has made it easy for Tom Thibodeau to leave Barrett on the bench as he continues to struggle. In the last 10 games, Barrett has had a -11 Net Rating when he's been on the floor, the worst mark on the team.

This is a very strong team away from home and a team which has seemingly fixed its biggest weakness with a simple, low-cost trade. I'll continue to buy low on New York until oddsmakers adjust.

Pick: Knicks ML +132

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