The Atlanta Hawks are on the brink of dropping out of the play-in positions having lost 2 straight games. They have also just been rocked by the news that Trae Young has required surgery and will be out for a number of weeks. Things will not get much easier for them tonight as they take on a New York Knicks team that will be motivated to stay away from the play-in battle themselves.
You can check out all of our NBA picks for today's games, but for now, let's jump into my Hawks vs Knicks Same Game Parlay.
Dejounte Murray 10+ assists (+155)
Trae Young has now misses 4 straight games for the Hawks, with Dejounte Murray stepping up and filling in as the lead playmaker. He has been great at it too, recording 11 assists in 3 of those contests. With the Knicks ranking 29th in defensive rating over the last 10 games, he should have no problem dissecting another opponent tonight. The Hawks are also 12th in pace over the last 10 games. This more up-tempo style of basketball should present Murray with plenty of opportunities to run the offense. The Knicks do pack the paint with big bodies like Isaiah Hartenstein and Precious Achiuwa. It does leave them vulnerable on the perimeter. Over the last 10 games, they are 26th in opponent 3-pointers made per game. With shooters like Bogdan Bogdanovic and De'Andre Hunter taking those shots here, Murray's drive and kick passes should have a great chance of getting converted to assists.
Jalen Johnson 10+ rebounds (+120)
The Hawks have not relied much on their leading rebounder Clint Capela lately. The center has played more than 24 minutes just twice in the last 5 games. With Knicks center Hartenstein still on a minutes restriction, it is hard to see Capela playing a big role here too. It will require Jalen Johnson to pick up the rebounding slack once more. The forward has managed 10 or more rebounds in 4 of his last 6 games, coming 1 shy on another occasion. He will also likely be tasked with containing Josh Hart tonight, who is the best rebounding wing in the league. It should lead to an entertaining battle on the boards between the pair. Over the last 10 games the Knicks are just 19th in offensive rating, so there should definitely be misses for him to chase down tonight.