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The Atlanta Hawks will continue their road trip as they head to the Big Apple for their next game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Christmas Day.
Although the Christmas Day matchup was primed to be a repeat of the heated grudge match from last season's playoffs, a depleted roster for both teams takes some of the fire out of this encounter.
The Atlanta Hawks will head into this game following a 98-96 win against the Philadelphia 76ers, ending their two-game losing streak to improve to 15-16 on the season.
The New York Knicks, on the other hand, suffered a tough 117-124 loss against the Washington Wizards. They now hold a record of 14-18 on the season.
Match Details
Fixture - Atlanta Hawks vs New York Knicks | 2021-22 NBA Season.
Date & Time - Saturday, December 25th, 2021; 12:00 PM ET (Sunday, December 26th, 2021; 10:30 PM IST.)
Venue - Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY.
Atlanta Hawks Preview
The Atlanta Hawks have shown great resilience through some trying times. Snapping a two-game losing streak in the absence of their star player Trae Young, the Hawks will head into their Christmas Day matchup with some momentum.
Cam Reddish and John Collins were two of six players who scored in double digits to lead the Hawks past the 76ers.
The Hawks might be without Reddish for their game against the Knicks. The Atlanta wing left the floor midway through with a rolled ankle. Although he returned for a short while, the knock eventually saw him exit the game again, this time for good.
Reddish has had a great couple of games, putting up 34 points against the Magic, followed by 18 points against the 76ers. The 22-year old stepping up has been key for Atlanta. Although he was questionable for the game against Philadelphia with a calf and ankle injury, this could be a case of reaggravation which might see him sit out the Christmas Day matchup.
Key Player - John Collins
John Collins will be the Atlanta Hawks' key player in the matchup against the New York Knicks.
Traditionally paired with Trae Young and Clint Capela, the pick-and-roll chemistry between Young and Collins has been a staple of Atlanta's offense. However, the Atlanta Hawks' big-man is anything but a one-trick pony.
Featuring an all-round game comprising of rim-running along with a smooth jumpshot, the versatility of Collins makes him the prototype of the modern power forward.
Collins has been a consistent performer for the Atlanta Hawks for the most part. In the absence of Trae Young and Capela, Collins has done a good job of keeping the Hawks' scoring and rebounding efforts alive.
Now, with the potential absence of Cam Reddish, Collins will have to play a much more dominant role as he takes on the Knicks' Julius Randle in this game.
Atlanta Hawks Predicted Lineup
G - Delon Wright | G - Skylar Mays | F - Cam Reddish | F - John Collins | C - Onyeka Okungwu
New York Knicks Preview
The New York Knicks have had a rough season so far. After looking like a solid team early on, a series of losses, a number of injuries and various other issues on the roster have seen the Knicks amass only 14 wins for the season.
In Thursday's loss against the Washington Wizards, the Knicks' misery continued. The Knicks secured a lead going into the second half on the back of a dominant scoring performance from Kemba Walker.
However, the Wizards made a solid run in the second half which saw the tables turn on Thibodeau's Knicks as they fell back onto bad habits. The Knicks shot poorly from beyond the arc, shooting a dismal 31%. Their woes were further compounded by Evan Fournier's shooting struggles as he went 2-13 from the field.
Key Player - Kemba Walker
Coming off a 44-point outing against the Washington Wizards, Kemba Walker has been one of the best performers for the New York Knicks over the course of the past week.
Walker has been averaging 31.3 points for the Knicks over the past three games. After being one of the biggest moves of the 2021 offseason, Kemba Walker gradually found himself out of the rotation with Thibodeau's New York Knicks due to the available guard depth.
However, due to injuries, among other issues, Walker has received the opportunity to show why he was viewed as a premier point guard in the league in years past. His dominant scoring performance was paired with a game-high eight assists for the New York Knicks against the Washington Wizards.
The 31-year old is the only "pure" point guard available on New York's roster. With playmaking duties being shared between him and Julius Randle, Walker will play a huge role in ensuring the New York Knicks' success in this Christmas Day matchup.
New York Knicks Predicted Lineup
G - Kemba Walker | G - Alec Burks | F - Evan Fournier | F - Julius Randle | C - Mitchell Robinson
Hawks vs Knicks Match Predictions
The New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks Christmas Day game may not be the spectacle it was made out to be due to injuries. However, the game should still be interesting.
Although the New York Knicks have better roster strength on paper, the side isn't cohesive. The Atlanta Hawks are a tight unit who play good basketball. If they can manage to ride the momentum of their previous win against the 76ers on Thursday, they should be able to walk away with a win.
Where to watch Hawks vs Knicks game?
The Atlanta Hawks vs New York Knicks game will be nationally broadcast on ESPN. The game will also be available on the NBA’s League Pass platform.
Guess the Lakers players!
