The Atlanta Hawks landed a haymaker on the New York Knicks in Game 3, gaining a decisive edge in what had been a back-and-forth series.
Now leading 2-1 and with all the momentum, the Hawks get to finish off their homestand by potentially taking a commanding lead back to Madison Square Garden.
Let's break down the odds and see where your best NBA betting value lies with our Knicks vs. Hawks picks and predictions for Sunday, May 30.
Knicks vs Hawks game info
• Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
• Date: Sunday, May 30, 2021
• Time: 1:00 p.m. ET
• TV: ABC
Knicks vs Hawks odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
Compare NBA odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
NBA Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonAtlanta opened as low as -4.5 for Game 4 and has been bet up to -5. According to FanDuel sportsbooks, action on this game is fairly split with 51 percent of bets on the Knicks and 56 percent of the spread handle leanding toward the visitor. The total hit the board at 209.5 points and has stayed steady around that number despite 73 percent of bets on the total taking the Over, which has also drawn 76 percent of the money.
Check out the full line movement for this gameKnicks vs Hawks series odds
Knicks: +255
Hawks: -315
Knicks vs Hawks betting preview
Injuries
Knicks: Mitchell Robinson C (Out).
Hawks: Cam Reddish SF (Out).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
Hawks are 16-6 ATS in their last 22 games as a favorite, and 19-7 ATS in their last 26 home games. Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Hawks.
Against the spread (ATS) pick
It's tough to have faith in the Knicks right now. With the series knotted, Tom Thibodeau inexplicably started button-mashing and switched up his starting lineup, inserting former Bulls Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson, because, well, Thibs.
While Rose flourished, scoring 30 points, the Knicks' second unit went completely flat without him in an awful 13-point second quarter that effectively cost New York the game.
Julius Randle and RJ Barrett were a combined 4-24 from the floor in a depressing offensive display. Randle, in particular, looked lost, playing well outside the flow of the offense and tossing up horrible bricks from just about everywhere.
Trae Young, once again, was fairly unimpeachable on offense, deconstructing the Knicks off the dribble pretty much at will. Atlanta had a strong, balanced game with seven players in double-figures, collectively shooting 52 percent from the floor and an obscene 59 percent from 3-point range.
ATL certainly looked like the deeper, more talented team they were touted as coming into this series. Despite being the lower seed, the Hawks righted a sinking ship midseason after Nate McMillan's hiring, and were generally one of the least-healthy teams in the league this year.
Now they're at virtually full strength (Cam Reddish's absence is basically a non-factor with their glut of talented swingmen) and really looked to be clicking in Game 3, while the Knicks were completely rudderless.
ATL is also riding impressive, large-sample trends in important betting metrics. They're both 16-6 ATS in their last 22 games as a favorite and 19-7 ATS in their last 26 home games. We can't fade them here.
PREDICTION: Atlanta -4.5 (-110)
Over/Under pick
It almost feels like a trap to keep mashing Unders in this series, but we can't help ourselves.
The Knicks almost took the NBA's triple crown of Under betting stats this year, playing at the NBA's slowest pace while allowing the fewest points and scoring the fifth-fewest themselves. Atlanta, despite their many offensive weapons, was an Under-magnet early in the season that books eventually got wise to, but still ended up as the NBA's eighth-best Under team, with the Knicks third.
So far, the playoffs haven't deviated much, with all three games hitting the Under on totals between 212.5 and 214. So, the books did what they do, and adjusted.
But there's still room here. The total currently sits at 208.5, still well above the 201.3 ppg this series has averaged, with neither of the past two games cracking the 200-point plateau.
Randle often has to prop up the Knicks offense and he's been absolutely dreadful in this series, averaging ten fewer ppg than the regular season while shooting a sad 24 percent from the field. The Knicks just don't have the scoring depth to drive the total if he continues to be off.
Meanwhile, the Hawks just had one of the best shooting games of any NBA team all season, going 16-27 from distance, and again, the game did not crack 200 points.
These teams were both slowpokes in the regular season but are actually playing at the playoffs' median pace thus far, suggesting there's room for the game's speed to drop as well. Add it all up and this is still a pretty clear Under.
PREDICTION: Under 208.5 (-110)
Player prop pick
Young has been a destructive force thus far in the series, averaging a combined 38 points and assists, topping today's market total of 35.5 in two of three games.
In the one game he didn't (Game 3), he still tallied 35 and had one of his worst shooting nights in a while, while seemingly getting wherever he wanted against New York's D.
Betting on stars to show up in big moments makes sense from a narrative perspective, and Trae has shown zero shyness in his playoff debut. His team has a chance to put the Knicks in a serious hole today and he'll make himself a big part of that.
PREDICTION: Trae Young Over 35.5 pts+asts (-115)
Knicks vs Hawks betting card
- Atlanta -4.5 (-110)
- Under 208.5 (-110)
- Trae Young Over 35.5 pts+asts (-115)
Picks made on 5/29/2021 at 1:20 p.m. ET
Did you know that if you parlayed today’s NBA Knicks vs. Hawks picks, you could win $58.14 on a $10 bet?
Use our NBA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where can I bet on the NBA?
You can bet on NBA odds at every online and casino sportsbook, including NBA moneylines, spreads, Over/Under totals, and a ton of NBA prop odds. Head over to our best sportsbooks for NBA betting in your area.
