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The New York Knicks will lock horns with the Atlanta Hawks at the State Farm Arena on Saturday, January 15. Both teams have met twice this season, with the Knicks being the side that came out victorious on both occasions.
They come into this game on the back of an impressive win over the Dallas Mavericks. RJ Barrett added a 32 point performance and continued his brilliance to help the Knicks to a 108-85 win on the night. It was an important victory, adding to New York's a solid run of results, having won five of their last four games.
They will be looking to carry this momentum forward as they try to pick up their third win over the Atlanta this season.
The Hawks are currently in the middle of a 4 game losing streak. In their most recent matchup against the Miami Heat, they gave it their all and kept things extremely close throughout. However, the resilience of their opposition prevailed and the Hawks eventually ended up losing the game 118-124.
Trae Young has been putting on some incredible performances, most notably a career-high 56 point outing against the Portland Trail Blazers on 3 January. However, the team's lack of defense has been one of the biggest reasons why the Hawks have failed to win games on a consistent basis this season.
They will be hoping to push their past disappointments aside and put their best foot forward when they take to the floor on Saturday.
Match Details
Fixture: New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks | NBA Season 2021-22
Date & Time: Saturday, January 15, 8:30 PM ET [Sunday, January 16, 6:00 AM IST]
Venue: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
New York Knicks Preview
The New York Knicks were a team that showed a lot of promise last season when they made it to the playoffs. A lot was expected out of them when they signed hoopers like Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier. However, this season has not gone as planned for the franchise, as they are only ranked tenth in the East with a 21-21 record.
Things might be beginning to take a positive turn for the Knicks as they have won their last two games, while restricting their opponents to under 100 points. RJ Barrett scored more than 30 points in both of those games.
The youngster has been playing well for the team and is showing a lot of improvement in his offensive game. Julius Randle will be hoping to end his rough patch by putting on a show and leading the team to a victory over the Hawks in their backyard.
Key Player - RJ Barrett
RJ Barrett has been making a lot of noise by putting in brilliant performances for the Knicks in the past few games. He was out for a while, but since his return, Barrett has been a big player for them.
The 21 year old is averaging 25.4 PPG in the last 5 appearances with the team. His stellar game-winner against the Celtics was a thing of beauty and with that, he proved his ability to deliver in the clutch. The Knicks will be relying on him to bring his best in the game against the Hawks.
New York Knicks Predicted Lineup
G - Evan Fournier, G - Alec Burks, F - RJ Barrett, F - Julius Randle, C - Mitchell Robinson
Atlanta Hawks Preview
The Atlanta Hawks have had one of the most disappointing campaigns in the NBA so far. They made it to the Conference Finals last season and would love to repeat the same this term. However, the team's performance has been way below the standards they set last year and this has led to them falling to the twelfth position in the East.
Trae Young has been the only player in form for the team. The youngster's efforts are falling short because of persistent defensive lapses from the team at key stages in the game. This game against the Knicks is going to be a crucial one for the Hawks, as they have already lost their last 4 games.
Any further setbacks will only push them lower on the table. With chances still looking bright for a play-in spot, the team will come into the game all guns blazing.
Key Player - Trae Young
Trae Young has had a wonderful season individually. He is averaging 27.6 PPG and 9.4 APG in 37 appearances. The one-time All-Star scored a team-high 24 points and also dropped 9 dimes in the game against the Heat to help the team remain in the game. However, brilliance from Jimmy Butler and co in the final quarter led to Atlanta's twenty-fourth defeat of the season.
Trae was also brilliant against the Knicks in the two teams' first meeting of the season as he put up 33 points during the Hawk's loss. Young was also the star of the show when the Hawks got the better of the Knicks in last season's first round of the playoffs. He will be hoping to play in the same vain in this game and help the Hawks snap their four-game losing streak.
Atlanta Hawks Predicted Lineup
G - Trae Young, G - Bogdan Bogdanovic, F - De'Andre Hunter, F - John Collins, C - Gorgui Dieng
Knicks vs Hawks Match Prediction
The Knicks and Hawks have played out some amazing games in the last few years. Last season it was the Hawks that reigned supreme in the playoffs, while the Knicks have shown their brilliance by winning both their games against the Hawks in this year's regular season.
However, this encounter will most likely go in favor of Trae Young and his Atalnata Hawks team, as they are hungry to get back to winning ways following a tough run of results.
Where to watch the Knicks vs Hawks game?
All games will be available to stream live on the official NBA app. The game between the New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks will also be locally telecast on MSG Network and Bally Sports Southeast.
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