Atlanta Hawks vs New York Knicks Prediction, Odds and Picks for Today, 01/02/26

Friday night we will get to see another installment in the rivalry between Trae Young and the crowd at Madison Square Garden. Well, that might not be true with Young being listed as a gametime decision with a quadriceps injury. Nonetheless, we will still get to see the 23-10 New York Knicks host the 16-19 Atlanta Hawks. The Knicks have been dominant at home this season, winning 15 of 17 games played in New York. They are coming off a 134-132 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in which Jalen Brunson led the team in scoring with 29 points, but they ultimately fell short despite leading by 19 points in this game.

The Hawks have been a good road team this year with a record of 10-8. Atlanta is coming into this game losing 7 of its last 8 games, but they won their previous game against the Minnesota Timberwolves 126-102. Jalen Johnson led the team with 34 points and 10 rebounds with Young out of the lineup. 

The New York Knicks have shown they are strong contenders in the Eastern Conference this year, but their loss to San Antonio was a reminder that their team needs to stay locked in. In the process of blowing their 19-point lead, the Knicks had a 9-point advantage heading into the 4th quarter before ultimately letting that slip away. It was the first time this season that the Knicks lost a game after holding a lead going into the final period. Despite the loss, it was still a great month of December for New York, winners in 11 of 15 games. The Knicks hope to keep the good fortunes going into 2026.

It was a different story for Atlanta. The Hawks had a record in December of 3-11, and they now have Young listed as questionable for this game. Even if Young plays, I’m not sure it will provide an advantage for the Hawks. Atlanta is only 2-8 this season when Young is active. I like the Knicks to win big tonight. 

Hawks vs Knicks prediction: New York Knicks -7.5 is available at the time of publishing. Playable to -10.

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