The Atlanta Hawks failed to kick off 2016 on a winning note after falling short in the first game of a home-and-home series with the New York Knicks, 111-97. But the Hawks can take comfort in the fact that they won’t have to wait too long to get their revenge. The two teams will meet once again and for the final time this season at Philips Arena. Who will get the last laugh?
Read on below for a comprehensive breakdown of this game. And if you’re craving for some college hoops as well, click here for our detailed preview of Kentucky vs. LSU.
[sc:NBAArticles ]New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks Betting Preview
Where: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
When: Tuesday, January 5, 8:00 PM ET
Line: New York Knicks (+8.5) at Atlanta Hawks (-8.5); total: 204.5– view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: FSS, MSG
Betting on the New York Knicks (15-19)
[sc:NBA250 ]Following a 27-point loss to the Bulls on Friday night, the New York Knicks quickly got their act back together with a resounding 111-97 victory over the visiting Atlanta Hawks last Sunday. Starring in that game was Arron Afflalo who surprised many with a season-high of 38 points on 14-of-17 shooting and 21 of those points came from the three-point range.
That explosion from Afflalo was desperately needed since the pair of Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis struggled with their shots. But the Knicks can’t afford to have those two stay quiet again when they lock horns with the Hawks, who are 12-6 at home this season.
Thankfully, the Knicks will likely receive a much better output from Anthony, who boasts a team-high of 21.9 PPG and 7.5 RPG, since he’s usually at his best away from home. Across 17 road games thus far, he is averaging 22.4 PPG and 7.6 RPG while shooting the rock at a respectable rate of 43.6 percent.
Meanwhile, the same could almost be said for Porzingis, who ranks third-highest among all other rookies with 13.1 PPG. The 20-year-old Latvian is contributing 11.7 PPG and 7.7 PPG in 18 road games this season. That stretch includes their win over the Rockets on November 21, during which Porzingis almost had a triple-double with 24 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks. However, he’s been shooting blanks in his last two games, going just 9-of-27 from the field.
If Anthony and Porzingis fail to find their form, the onus will be on Afflalo to build on his previous performance and hopefully lead the Knicks to another huge win. He’ll be trying to break through an Atlanta defense that’s yielding 100.1 points per game, which is the 13th-most in the league this season.
New York is 2-8 SU and 4-6 ATS in its past 10 road games.
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Betting on the Atlanta Hawks (21-13)
With Sunday’s loss to New York, the Atlanta Hawks blew their opportunity to claim the Southeast Division lead over Miami. The Hawks, who currently hold the fifth-best record (21-13) in the Eastern Conference, will have a chance to redeem themselves tonight when they go toe-to-toe once again with the Knicks at their very own Philips Arena.
Key to their triumph will be the hardworking trio of Jeff Teague, Paul Millsap and Al Horford, who have been testaments to their success this season.
Teague’s been doing a good job in playing the scorer and the facilitator with averages of 15.7 points and a team-best 5.9 assists. Millsap and Horford, meanwhile, have been tremendous threats in the paint, posting 18.2 PPG and 15.2 PPG respectively. The two have also been persistently crashing the glass with 16.1 RPG combined.
Moreover, Kent Bazemore could be the unlikely hero in this contest. He started off the year poorly but has eventually progressed and worked his way into the starting lineup. Bazemore, who is averaging 12.7 PPG and 4.6 RPG, has played really well over his past two games. He had 26 points against Houston last Tuesday night and followed it up with 18 points in a losing effort versus the Knicks on Sunday.
Atlanta is 7-3 SU and 5-4-1 ATS in its previous 10 home games.
Writer’s Prediction
Atlanta (-8.5) wins, 103-90.
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