[12:00 PM] Hawks @ Knicks

Who will WIN this matchup?

Atlanta Hawks (9-3)

@ New York Knicks (5-7)

 

• The line for this game is Hawks by 2.5 points.

• The New York Knicks put in work on defense en route to a pair of wins but wilted on that end in Thursday’s loss to the Washington Wizards. The Atlanta Hawks, who visit the Knicks on Sunday afternoon, can punish defenses from several angles and should be motivated to bounce back after their six-game winning streak came to an end on Friday at Charlotte.

• Howard has been everything Atlanta wanted since signing with his hometown team as a free agent over the summer and collected 10 points, 18 rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocks before being ejected on Friday. Howard sat out the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday due to a quad injury and was healthy enough on Friday to post his ninth double-double. All-Star power forward Paul Millsap delivered a double-double as well with 22 points and 13 boards on Friday and went 1-of-2 from 3-point range while the rest of his teammates were a collective 6-of-26 from beyond the arc.

• Derrick Rose scored a season-high 27 points on Thursday, marking the sixth time in as many occasions that New York lost when he scored 16 points or more. The former MVP endured his worst game – three points on 1-of-6 shooting and five turnovers – in Monday’s win over Dallas and is still trying to find his way with Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis and coach Jeff Hornacek in his first season with the Knicks. Fellow former Chicago Bull Joakim Noah continues to struggle as well and scored in double figures just once in the first 12 games – a 117-104 win in the return to Chicago on Nov. 2.

• Hawks PG Dennis Schroder went 0-of-5 from 3-point range on Friday after hitting 6-of-8 from beyond the arc in the previous three games.

• Knicks reserve G Brandon Jennings scored 17 points on Thursday, matching his total from the previous four games.

• The teams split four meetings last season, with the Knicks taking the final two on Jan. 3 and 5.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Atlanta Hawks

Confidence: 5/10

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