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The Atlanta Hawks take on the New York Knicks in Game 5 of their first round of the NBA Playoffs. They lead 3-1 and could become the third team to qualify for the NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals by producing another victory on Wednesday.
Trae Young has been the best player of the series so far, and has produced at least 20 points in each of the four matches. He is averaging 27.5 points and 10 assists and is shooting at almost 60% from the field.
The Atlanta Hawks have also been impressive with their 3-point shooting, with Kevin Huerter and Bogdan Bogdanovic especially coming good in game 4. Clint Capela will be looking for his third straight double-double of the series.
The New York Knicks, on the other hand, have struggled to get going offensively and have not been shooting well. Julius Randle top-scored in Game 4 with 23 points but shot below 40% from the field while RJ Barrett has also been inconsistent. The New York Knicks have home-court advantage and will be looking to stage an unlikely comeback.
Match Details
Fixture – Atlanta Hawks vs New York Knicks | Game 5, 2021 NBA Playoffs.
Date & Time - Wednesday, June 2nd, 2021; 7:30 PM ET (June 3rd, 5:00 AM IST).
Venue - Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
Atlanta Hawks Preview
The Atlanta Hawks have been comfortable and are almost certain to get to the Eastern Conference semi-finals easily.
They were only slightly better at overall shooting in Game 4 but dominated due to their high volume and better efficiency when it came to 3-pointers. John Collins and Trae Young have been the chief difference makers offensively, as a better bench has also proven to be an advantage for the Atlanta Hawks.
Cam Reddish and Brandon Goodwin are confirmed to be missing while De’Andre Hunter is being evaluated on a day-to-day basis but is expected to feature in Game 5.
Key Player – Trae Young
Trae Young has come good when it mattered the most and has proved to be the key difference maker for the Atlanta Hawks. The New York Knicks have defended against Young well but his ability to come clutch and some expert free throw shooting has meant that Young is completely dominating proceedings.
The Atlanta Hawks will again be relying on Trae, who has simply seen an increase in his shooting volume and is averaging almost two points more than he was during the regular season, with 25.3.
Atlanta Hawks Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Trae Young l Shooting Guard - Bogdan Bogdanovic l Small Forward - De’Andre Hunter l Power Forward - John Collins l Center - Clint Capela
New York Knicks Preview
The New York Knicks have not been shooting well, and are the worst team in the NBA 2021 Playoffs when it comes to overall shooting efficiency, at 46%. Derrick Rose has been the starting point-guard in place of Elfrid Payton while the likes of Obi Toppin, Alec Burks and Immanuel Quickley will be required to support the Knicks’ stars from the bench.
Randle has not been getting good looks and has struggled from the field while RJ Barrett produced his best performance of the series in the last game. The New York Knicks have defended well in the paint but haven’t been able to keep up with an exciting offense on the other end of the court.
Key Player – Julius Randle
Randle has not had the best of series and is being trumped by Trae Young. As a matter of fact, he has converted just 20 of his 73 attempted shots and requires better support from his teammates.
His combination play with RJ Barrett has been non-existent in the series and the situation has not been helped by the lack of shooting form of other players offensive players such as Quickley and Reggie Bullock. Regardless, a spirited team performance seems to be the need of the hour for the New York Knicks, apart from an improvement in perimeter defense.
New York Knicks Preview
Point Guard - Derrick Rose l Shooting Guard - RJ Barrett l Small Forward - Reggie Bullock l Power Forward - Julius Randle l Center - Taj Gibson
Hawks vs Knicks Match Prediction
The New York Knicks are up against a better team and have struggled in the series so far barring Game 2. The Atlanta Hawks have seen some top performances from the likes of Young and John Collins, and have an in-form bench capable of bringing them home.
The New York Knicks have seen multiple players lose form and have injury concerns as well, and will be underdogs. The Atlanta Hawks are expected to qualify for the Eastern Conference semi-finals with another win.
Where to watch the Hawks vs Knicks Game 5?
Game 5 of the first round of the 2021 NBA playoffs between the New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks will be televised nationally on TNT. The game can also be streamed live with an NBA League Pass.
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