The NBA Christmas Day slate is set to begin with a rematch of a first-round playoff series in the Eastern Conference last season. Hawks vs Knicks was one of the more entertaining five-game series in the recent history of the NBA, and both teams will look to overcome issues with their rosters to get a big win here. In our NBA picks for Christmas Day in the NBA, we look at Hawks vs Knicks and give our best bet for this Christmas opener.
Hawks vs Knicks FanDuel Sportsbook Christmas Promo Code
New bettors at FanDuel Sportsbook can wager $5 on either team to win this Hawks vs Knicks showdown, with a $150 payout if that team wins the game.
New bettors at FanDuel Sportsbook can take advantage of their Christmas Day promotion. Bettors can put $5 on either team to win this Hawks vs Knicks matchup, and get $150 in cash if that team manages to win this contest. That $150 is paid out as cash, which means that it can be withdrawn immediately, rather than having to be bet again.
Hawks vs Knicks Betting Pick
This game will be played at Madison Square Garden at 12:00 PM ET on Saturday, December 25, 2021.
Why Bet The Knicks:
✅ The Knicks have found something with Kemba Walker ever since he was forced back into action recently. Walker scored into the 40s against the Washington Wizards on Thursday, and has looked every bit like the star that the Knicks expected when they brought him in since being reinserted into the lineup after COVID issues and injuries thinned the Knicks’ point guard depth.
✅ Atlanta is mangled with players in the health and safety protocols at this point in time. Trae Young, Kevin Huerter, Clint Capela, and Danilo Gallinari are all out for this game, with Solomon Hill and De’Andre Hunter out with injuries. The Hawks have just too much roster turnover to overcome in this matchup.
Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-Gambler 21+
✅ Bogdan Bogdanovic shot 4/17 in the Hawks’ last game against the 76ers on Wednesday. Without his usual group of stars around him to take the attention off of him offensively, Bogdanovic is likely to struggle as defenses will be able to pay more attention to him each time down the court.
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks had been struggling, losing four of their last five games, before they beat the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night. Both teams were short handed, but the Hawks managed to find six double-figure scorers including unlikely sources like Skylar Mays who were thrust into the Hawks’ rotation. Here, the Hawks will look for the same success that they had in Madison Square Garden in the first round of last year’s playoffs.
For the Hawks to win against the Knicks here, Atlanta will need to rely heavily on their defense. The Knicks are a team that aren’t great defensively, and tend to get involved in high-scoring games. If the Hawks can force Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier in particular into tough shots, the Hawks could be in a great position to get yet another win at Madison Square Garden.
New York Knicks
The New York Knicks have lost six of their last eight games, including a loss on Thursday against the Washington Wizards. It was the same story as usual for the Knicks, as their defense was not good enough to get the job done against a Washington team that found the range repeatedly from long-distance. Here, the Knicks will have to be better at defending the three-point shot to win.
Fortunately for the Knicks, they are getting some stellar contributions from Kemba Walker. Walker scored 44 points against the Wizards, and had a big game the Celtics recently as well. With Derrick Rose and Immanuel Quickley set to miss this game for the Knicks, Walker will need to continue to deliver at the point guard position.