3 Bold Predictions for Knicks-Hawks Game 5
By Peter Dewey
The Atlanta Hawks have a chance to close out the New York Knicks in the first round of the NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
The Knicks were dreadful offensively in Game 3 and Game 4 in Atlanta, and they will have to figure things out with their backs against the wall in Game 5.
Trae Young is projected to have yet another big game on WynnBET, and the Knicks haven’t had an answer for him on defense the entire series. Yet, New York is favored to win Game 5 and force a Game 6 in Atlanta on Friday.
I’m not so sure that’s going to happen, even with me being as optimistic of a Knicks fan as I can be, but there are a few player prop bets that have intrigued me in tonight’s matchup.
Here are my picks for Knicks-Hawks Game 5:
Julius Randle Goes Over 34.5 Points and Rebounds
Julius Randle’s magical season has come to a crashing halt, but he did show some signs of life in Game 4. Randle finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds and seven dimes despite the fact the Knicks were blown out in Atlanta.
It was the first time he went over 34.5 combined points and rebounds in the series, and that’s where WynnBET has him projected in Game 5 with the over (-110) being a slight underdog to the under (-120).
The Knicks are in must-win mode to keep their season alive, and while the Hawks defensive scheme (sending double teams at Randle every time) has worked very well, I think the Knicks are going to get their star going in Game 5.
Randle was much more aggressive early on in Game 4, and I’d expect that trend to continue considering the Knicks were leading early on in the previous game. The wheels have fallen off for New York when the Hawks go on big 3-point runs, so slowing down the pace and getting Randle mismatches will be their best chance to win.
For what it’s worth, Randle is averaging 25.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game at MSG this season. I’m predicting a statement performance to keep the season alive from Randle.
Kevin Huerter Goes Over 1.5 3-Pointers Made
Huerter and the Hawks have killed the Knicks from downtown in the last two games, and I’d expect them to deploy a similar game plan tonight.
The Hawks shot 16-for-27 from 3 in Game 3, and then followed it with a 15-for-39 performance from deep in Game 4. It’s almost impossible to stop a team when they’re shooting that well, and Huerter has been one of the leaders in the 3-point assault the Hawks have rained down on New York.
After hitting just one trey in both Game 1 and Game 2, Huerter went 3-for-4 and 3-for-5 in the next two games from beyond the arc. WynnBET has his player prop for 3s set at only 1.5 with the over (+110) as the underdog.
I think betting on Huerter to make two 3-pointers (he averaged 2.0 a game on 5.6 attempts this season) is a fantastic bet in Game 5.
Reggie Bullock Goes Under 10.5 Points
Bullock was a revolution for the Knicks in the second-half of the season, as he shot 47.0 percent from the field and 43.2 percent from 3 after the All-Star break. However, Bullock seems to be slumping again as he did early in the season through the first four games of the series.
WynnBET has Bullock’s projected point total set for 10.5 on Wednesday with the over (-125) as the favorite to the under (+100). Bullock is coming off a scoreless performance in Game 4, and I don’t see him hitting the over in Game 5 even though he has scored 11 or more points twice in the series.
Bullock is a 3-point specialist, but he’s had two games where he didn’t hit a single 3-ball and the Knicks have struggled because of it. He only attempted four shots in 33 minutes in Game 4 and was a dreadful minus-16.
Young has carved up Bullock on the other end of the floor, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Tom Thibodeau has a quicker hook with Bullock if his shot isn’t falling early. He played 19 minutes in Game 1 after shooting 0-for-5 from deep, and it appears that he’s trending in the wrong direction after the Game 4 goose egg.
I’m fading Bullock’s point total until he starts to hit shots at a consistent and efficient rate again.