Knicks Seek Redemption Against Hawks After Recent Setback; Home Court Advantage and Roster Considerations Loom Large in Upcoming NBA Clash

The New York Knicks are looking to bounce back after a tough 134-132 road loss to the San Antonio Spurs, a game where Victor Wembanyama was also injured. Despite shooting an impressive 22 of 52 (42.3%) from three-point range, with six players hitting at least two three-pointers, the Knicks saw strong performances from Jalen Brunson, Towns, McBride, and Clarkson go unrewarded with 20+ points each. Mitchell Robinson's status is questionable, while Josh Hart and Shamet remain out. The Atlanta Hawks, on the other hand, are coming off a dominant 126-102 home victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves, establishing a commanding lead by halftime. The Hawks had six players score in double figures, with Jalen Johnson leading the way with 34 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block. Trae Young is listed as questionable for the game. The Knicks are currently on an eight-game losing streak since winning the NBA Cup. The team did defeat the Atlanta Hawks 128-125 on the road earlier this season. In that previous matchup, Trae Young played for the Hawks, while the Knicks were without Josh Hart and Shamet but had Mitchell Robinson. If both Young and Robinson are available for this rematch, the lineups would be similar to the previous encounter. Considering the Knicks were giving 5.5 points on the road in their prior meeting, the spread should be around 9.5 points at home this time. However, the current spread is only Knicks -7.5, which seems shallow, particularly considering the Knicks' 16-2 home record this season and the Hawks' recent 1-7 record over their last eight games. The Hawks played well at the start of the season when Trae Young was not playing, and they had a team-wide emphasis on defense. Based on the last game, the Hawks seem to be rediscovering that form. The shallow spread suggests the game could favour Atlanta. Hawks +7.5