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Slumping Knicks host Hawks on Monday
By: Zach Cohen - StatFox
Published: 11/10/2014  at  4:45:00 AM
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ATLANTA HAWKS (2-3)

at NEW YORK KNICKS (2-5)

Tip-off: Monday, 7:35 p.m. ET
Line: Atlanta -1.5, Total: 195

The Knicks look to get back into the win column when they host the Hawks on Monday night.

These clubs also met on Saturday in Atlanta with the home team winning that game 103-96 as a 6.5-point home favorite. That gives the club two straight games in the series, but New York is 3-1 SU and 2-2 ATS when playing Atlanta at Madison Square Garden over the last three seasons. Overall in the past three seasons, the Knicks are 5-3 SU and 4-4 ATS when playing against the Hawks, including 3-1 SU (2-2 ATS) at home. Atlanta is 30-48 ATS versus teams that make at least 76% of their free throw attempts over the past three years. New York, meanwhile, is 3-13 ATS versus good defensive pressuring teams (forcing 16+ turnovers per game) in the past two seasons. The Knicks are also, however, 14-3 ATS after playing three consecutive road games over the past three seasons. New York will still be without PG Jose Calderon (calf), PF Andrea Bargnani (hamstring) and SG Pablo Prigioni (ankle) for this contest. The Knicks bench has been extremely thin in recent weeks and will continue to be, until they get some of these players back.

Can the Hawks win on the road verus a depleted Knicks? For the answer, connect to The Platinum Sheet for all the Expert picks throughout the entire 2014-15 season. StatFox Zach posted a 54% ATS mark (65-56-4) in NBA Best Bets last season, while StatFox Forecaster had a 53.4% ATS (207-181-12) in featured games last season. StatFox Scott is off to a great start to the 2014-15 campaign at 67% ATS (6-3).

The Hawks are off to a slow start this season, but they have a chance of getting back to .500 against a team that they just beat last game. One player who is really a problem for the Knicks is PG Jeff Teague (18.2 PPG, 8.2 APG), who finished last game with 19 points and five assists. Teague also did not commit a single turnover. He’ll need to continue to attack the basket against a team that is weak when defending the point guard position. Another player who absolutely destroyed New York and finished with 27 points (7-of-12 FG, 6-of-9 threes), four rebounds and three blocks. The forward was constantly left open by the Knicks despite being one of the top catch-and-shoot players in the NBA. Atlanta will continue to run him off screens and try to get him into the same rhythm he was in on Saturday. Both C Al Horford (14.4 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.4 BPG) and PF Paul Millsap (13.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG) will need ton step it up in this meeting, as the two combined for just 17 points and 19 rebounds on Saturday. If they can not increase their scoring production, then they could come away with a loss against a Knicks team that is desperate for a victory.

New York has now dropped four straight games since winning two in a row against the Cavaliers and Hornets respectively. The team has not scored 100 points in a game all season and has really struggled defensively, allowing 106.5 PPG over their past two contests. The Knicks will only go as far as PF Carmelo Anthony (19.6 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4.0 APG) takes them this season, but the superstar has been off the mark to start the year, averaging just 19.6 PPG (35.8% FG, 33.3% threes) over the past five contests and he is doing it while playing some incredibly inefficient basketball. He’ll need to make sure his shots come in the flow of the offense, so that he does not take away scoring opportunities from his teammates. Anthony should be able to bounce back at home in the rematch against the Hawks after he recorded 20 points and nine rebounds in the loss to them on Saturday. One guy who has really stepped his game up from last season is SG Iman Shumpert (13.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.4 APG), who looks a lot more comfortable in Derek Fisher’s offense than he did in Mike Woodson’s. The guard had 19 points, seven assists and four rebounds in the loss to the Hawks on Saturday. He fouled out of that contest, but gave the Hawks issues on both ends of the floor. PG Tim Hardaway Jr. (10.6 PPG) has played well since receiving an increase in minutes. He’s scored at least 15 points in each of the past three games and will need to get hot if the Knicks are going to pick up a crucial win in this matchup.


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