New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks Prediction & Match Preview - January 4th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
In their seventh game of the 2020-2021 NBA season, the New York Knicks take on the Atlanta Hawks at the State Farm Arena in Georgia. The Knicks enter this contest on the back of a gritty road win against the Indiana Pacers, which evened out their season with three wins and three losses.
Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks come into this game off a loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers 96-91 on the road. The Hawks are having a great season so far with four wins and two losses.
Both teams are old Eastern Conference rivals and would push hard to start their season series with a win.
Match Details
Fixture: New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks | NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Friday, January 4th,7:30 PM ET (Tuesday 6:00 AM IST)
Venue: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
Click here to check out the 2020-21 NBA Schedule
New York Knicks Preview
The New York Knicks were impressive in their last outing against the Pacers. They won the game by going on an 11-0 scoring run and played strong defense down the stretch. The Knicks had five players score in double-digits, led by RJ Barrett, who had a team-high of 25 points.
The New York Knicks are still figuring out their game plan this season. With the addition of new head coach Tom Thibodeau, Knicks fans can now expect their team to reflect his defensive ideology soon.
Key Player - R.J. Barrett
RJ Barrett shook off his recent poor shooting performances to show up big time against the Pacers. Playing in his second season in the NBA, Barrett has a great platform to develop his game in the Mecca of Basketball. He will undoubtedly be the key player in the Knicks' matchup against the Atlanta Hawks.
His season averages are 17.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 38 minutes per game. His shooting averages have not been great so far. Barrett is shooting the ball 37.5% from the field and 24.1% from the deep. That said, the season is just getting started, and he will have enough time to turn things around.
New York Knicks Predicted Lineup
G Elfrid Payton G RJ Barrett F Reggie Bullock F Julius Randle C Mitchell Robinson
Atlanta Hawks Preview
The Atlanta Hawks are flying high this season with four wins and two losses. They are tied for the second position in the East and are proving to be a serious contender for the playoffs. Their biggest win came against the star-studded Brooklyn Nets team, where they held them to a comfortable victory 114-96.
As it stands now, the Hawks have seven players scoring in double-digits, led by the talented duo of Trae Young and John Collins. On the defensive end, Clint Capela is cleaning up the boards at a rate of 12 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per appearance.
Key Player - Trae Young
Trae Young is giving Atlanta Hawks fans a reason to be excited this season. He has been leading their effort on the offensive end with 28.2 points, 8.3 assists in 32 minutes per game.
Young is shooting 45.2% from the field and 88.6% from the free-throw line and is one of the leaders in most free throws taken this season so far.
Trae is also third in scoring and fourth in assists leaders in the entire league. He will be the key player in their matchup against the Knicks and would have his eyes set on another big night.
Atlanta Hawks Predicted Lineup
G Trae Young, G Cam Reddish, F De'Andre Hunter, F John Collins, C Clint Capela
Knicks vs Hawks Prediction
The New York Knicks are coming off a big win, gaining some confidence as they take on a red hot Atlanta Hawks side.
That said, the Hawks are teeming with raw talent and veteran leaders like Rajon Rondo coaching them from the sidelines. You can expect the Hawks to take this one.
Where to watch Knicks vs Hawks?
Local coverage of the game will be available on FOX Sports Southeast - Atlanta and the MSG network. You can also live stream the same via the NBA League Pass.