NBA Preview: Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks – Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024

The Atlanta Hawks (13-12) and New York Knicks (15-9) will compete in the NBA Cup Quarterfinals on Wednesday, December 11 at 7:00 PM ET at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York.

Atlanta Hawks Betting Preview

The Hawks just had their six-game win streak snapped with a 141-111 blowout loss against the Denver Nuggets. They came out flat in the first quarter, as they allowed 38 points and only earned 23, which set the tone for the game.

De’Andre Hunter came off the bench and led with 20 points, but only made 35 percent of his shots. Clint Capela was the only starter not in double-figures with nine points, but led with 10 rebounds. Trae Young had 15 points and led with 10 assists to keep the offense moving.

They shot 40.6 percent from the field, but allowed the Nuggets to make 62.9 percent of their shots. From deep they allowed 44.4 percent and could only make 22.5 percent of their three pointers. They cannot afford to have this bad of defense against the Knicks.

The Hawks have been accumulating 117.1 points a game and rank eighth in the league. Defensively they have allowed 119.8 points a game from opponents, which ranks 28th. By this ratio, they have no room for error.

New York Knicks Betting Preview

The Knicks recently had a 113-108 victory over the Toronto Raptors, putting them back on the winning side. They started the game off strong with a 34-27 first quarter that helped their momentum the rest of the game.

Karl-Anthony Towns nailed a three pointer late to help ice the game. He led with 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson also had a big game with 20 points and led with 11 assists.

They had a great shooting night with 51.2 percent of their shots going in and 42.5 percent from deep. They also had 10 turnovers, but forced the Raptors to have 13 turnovers. With strong 30-plus point performances in the first and fourth quarter, they had control of this game.

The Knicks are averaging 117.8 points per game and rank seventh for this output in the league. Their defense has been appealing, ranking 10th in the league when allowing opponents to average 111.0 points. This is a healthy margin, but they must continue separating this gap.

Odds, Series Trends, and Free Pick

MyBookie has the odds for the NBA Cup Quarterfinals between the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks, which has the Knicks favored by 6.5-points. Looking at market predictions, the Knicks have a 68.2 percent likelihood of winning.

The Knicks are more appealing on paper and are at home where they are 8-3 so far. Look for them to cover the spread.

Final Pick: New York Knicks -6.5 (-115)