It’s one thing for the New York Knicks to fly to Atlanta. It’s another thing to take to the runway in a state of shock. New York attempts to shake off the specter of a nightmarish Game 2 defeat when the Knicks visit the Atlanta Hawks in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals Thursday at 7 p.m. EST.
New York was in a comfort zone through 36 minutes of Game 2. Forward Josh Hart’s rebounds had led the charge to a 91-79 lead. A stunning turn of events ensued as the Hawks’ defense took over, restricting the Knicks to 15 points in the final 12 minutes. Atlanta guard CJ McCollum sizzled in the closing moments, setting up teammate Jalen Johnson to score the winning layup of a 107-106 upset victory. McCollum led all scorers with 32 points. Spike Lee has never been more embarrassed while sitting courtside at MSG.
There’s lots of blame to go around. Fans are pointing at Karl-Anthony Towns’ quiet fourth quarter that followed an otherwise solid effort from the veteran big man. Sam Quinn of CBS Sports has other ideas, criticizing head coach Mike Brown for not giving Towns and other key performers a chance to make the difference. Towns, Quinn points out, inexplicably did not touch the basketball in the game’s final 4:24 despite his “6 of 7 shooting in the third quarter.” Brown’s flawed tactics helped the Hawks even the first-round series 1-1, going into Game 3 in Atlanta.
Knicks -1 (-105)Hawks +1 (-101)Over 216.5 (-103)Under (-105)
Note: The above data was collected on April 23, 2026, and may have changed since writing.
New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks Betting Trends The Knicks are 3-0 in conference quarterfinal series outcomes since 2022.New York has gone 6-2 in the last eight encounters with Atlanta.Betting totals went over in just five of the last 18 meetings.New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks Injury ReportsOG Anunoby is probable with left ankle discomfort.Center Jock Landale is out with an ankle injury.Center Onyeka Okongwu is probable with a knee injury.New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks Predictions and Picks
The Atlanta Hawks scored points in the paint throughout Monday’s comeback, turning away from a focus on trey shooting that has nonetheless proven to be a weapon. Versatile big man Onyeka Okongwu, who hit four bombs in Game 1, did not impact the closing combat of Game 2 after hitting another 2-of-3 from downtown earlier in the contest. The Hawks’ easy baskets from nine steals made up for their lack of sharpshooting.
Brown’s blessing is that the Knicks’ next game plan is easier to draw up. Okongwu’s knee has been bothering him, leaving the Hawks to have 6-foot-7 Jonathan Kuminga guarding bruisers like Towns for extended minutes. A dominant corps of forwards should be able to overpower Atlanta and keep the excited Hawks’ crowd noise to a minimum. But that only works if they’re getting touches in the clutch.
Look for the over-total-points wager to pay off. The Knicks are likely to go inside so often in the first half that New York’s linchpin guard Jalen Brunson won’t need moves to find open looks on the kick-out. Atlanta’s underrated guards will answer with treys in a fun game that could total 240 points.