Posted at 10:45 AM EST. Odds subject to change.

Pinnacle -3 -105 BET365 -3 -110 Sportsinteraction -3½ -105 888Sport -2½ -117

New York -3  over Atlanta

Best Odds: -105 at Pinnacle

7:40 PM EST. There's little doubt that the New York Knicks haven't been as stellar lately, but they have good reasons for it. Most of their recent shortcomings can be simplified to one common cause- injuries. First it was Mitchell Robinson earlier this season, their big-man who was becoming a star for his two-way dominance in the front court, then it was Julius Randle, their established #2 scorer, and most recently it was new guard OG Anunoby, who was instantly a perfect piece for the new-look Knicks. They remain without those three cogs, pieces that elevate New York's potential to contend for an Eastern Conference title this year, but they're still a deep team that's played really well together. 

Their biggest concern remains with their star, Jalen Brunson, who suffered a bruised knee in their last contest, an impressive win at Cleveland. That was an important victory for the Knicks in more ways than one. Brunson played only 1 minute in total, leaving New York's bench with just three guys to rotate into the game, but they still found a way to win. Talking heads love to analyze depth and how much it really means for a team's success; these are the moments it matters most. Can the Knicks still win with a downgraded roster? The answer is clearly: yes.

We can't assert the same ethic about the Hawks. Trae Young, the controversial Atlanta guard who became a villain when the Hawks battled and beat the Knicks in the 2021 playoffs, injured his left hand and will be out for some time. Regardless of what anyone thinks of Young, that's a big loss. The wacky-haired guard is responsible for 26.4 points and 11 assists per game for his team, around 40% of their production on a nightly basis. He's also their leader on the floor, an intangible that other cappers might dismiss. We do not. The Hawks took care of business in their first two contests without Young, capitalizing on bad spots for the Magic and Jazz, but then quickly experienced letdowns in two straight games against Brooklyn. Their defense has somewhat improved in recent games, but that's something we expect to regress. For 95% of the season, Atlanta's been one of the worst defenses in the association. In general, the volatility that Atlanta has shown throughout 4+ months of action doesn't warrant any trust from us, nor should it for you. As of today, Atlanta remains the worst team against the spread this season, by a wide margin (19-41, 32%). 

We think Jalen Brunson will play tonight. New York has gone through its lull, 7 losses in their last 11 games, and they won't want to drop any further in the Eastern Conference rankings. The Hawks are hanging onto the 10th spot by a thread. At home and remaining at Madison Square Garden all week, this is a short line for a Knicks' squad that's shown a tremendous amount of resilience and grit all season. Quin Snyder's program might come around eventually, but all signs point towards this not being the year that happens, especially without Trae Young. If Atlanta somehow leads early, consider a Knicks' live bet. Otherwise, we see this as a potential blowout win for the home-team.

Farley

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Florida -125
New Jersey +105

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Florida -118
New Jersey +105

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