The Hawks and Knicks are tied 1-1 as the series shifts to Atlanta. The crowd experience at MSG, save for the senile fan spitting on Trae Young, was majestic. It reminded everybody how great it is to have fans back and to see noise like that took the viewers back to a time when this was commonplace.
Now that New York is on the road, things will be quite a bit different. They will have to work without the distinct advantage that carried them to a win in the last ballgame. Derrick Rose is turning back the clock as Julius Randle struggles to have a big impact. You could not ask for more from the Knicks bench, which continues to outperform the starting lineup.
Young has looked great for Atlanta in carrying them to a game one win. He could not do anything about the suffocating NYK D at the end of game two, but they did escape as a #5 seed in a 1-1 tied series. That is a win on its own, as they have a real chance to now make some noise at home.
Nate McMillan’s team always run into a playoff wall. It’s time to find out of the Hawks team he is leading is built differently or not.
ODDS
The home Hawks are favored, ATL -4, while the over/under is set at 211 points.
Knicks Seeking 2-1 Series Lead
New York is a dangerous team, and everybody knows it. They finished with the same record as their series opponent but will obviously need to win four before Atlanta does. Back in the playoffs for the first time since 2013, there is a serious disappointment risk with the expectations climbing after evening the series.
Randle has been awful in both first halves while proving unable to carry the onus of team leader. RJ Barrett didn’t get any fourth-quarter minutes in game two as Alec Burks and Reggie Bullock took all the perimeter minutes. Taj Gibson has been incredible, the 36-year-old continuing to turn back the clock for NY.
The team is as good as the sum of its parts, with the bench leading the way. Time to find out if D Rose gets another nod at point guard.
Hawks Looking to Pull Ahead
While New York went eight years without the playoffs, Atlanta had missed it for the prior three seasons. Before that, it was nine postseason trips in a row for the Hawks. That being said, they want to, like their opponent, make their return last.
Trae has had two very good games, but nobody else was with him in the last one. John Collins was in foul trouble the whole time, with Bogdan Bogdanovic and Danilo Gallinari bricking nearly all their attempts. When the game got close in the last few minutes, no Hawk player could put the ball in the hoop.
The crowd noise + intensity level was too much to overcome, and now they have to go back to the drawing board.
Hawks Win Close Game
With the crowd finally, on their side, ATL will get a huge win. 2-1 series lead for the team from the A.
FREE PLAY: HAWKS -4
OVER/UNDER: UNDER 211
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