The Atlanta Hawks host the New York Knicks at State Farm Arena on December 27, with an 8:00 PM ET tip, and this one has real East-weight to it.
The Knicks roll in at 21-9 and sitting near the very top of the conference, while the Hawks are 15-17 and trying to stop a slide before it turns into a full-on spiral. This is also the first meeting of the season between these two, with a quick rematch coming on January 2.
Top-end talent won’t be the issue. Jalen Brunson has been a star all season at 29.3 points and 6.5 assists on 47.8% from the field, and Karl-Anthony Towns adds 21.9 points and 11.8 rebounds as a steady second punch.
For the Hawks, Jalen Johnson has played like an All-NBA candidate at 23.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 8.3 assists, and Trae Young has averaged 20.4 points and 8.8 assists since returning.
Injury Report
Hawks
Kristaps Porzingis: Out (illness)
N’Faly Dante: Out (right knee, torn ACL)
Trae Young: Probable (right quad contusion)
Knicks
Josh Hart: Out (right ankle sprain)
Landry Shamet: Out (right shoulder sprain)
Miles McBride: Questionable (left ankle sprain)
Why The Hawks Have The Advantage
The Hawks’ advantage starts with tempo and volume. They play fast (101.61 pace) and they don’t win by walking the ball up and “taking turns.” They average 118.6 points per game and a wild 31.0 assists per game, which tells you exactly what they want: drive, spray, swing, shoot.
That style matters in this matchup because the Knicks can score with anybody, so the Hawks can’t survive a slow, half-court possession game unless they’re perfect. The Hawks need to make it uncomfortable by pushing pace off makes and misses, getting early threes, and turning the court into a track. That’s also where Jalen Johnson becomes a problem. He’s not just racking up numbers, he’s the connector who keeps the ball moving when Trae sits or when the first action dies.
They’ve also got legit secondary scoring to keep the pressure on. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is at 20.2 points per game and he can punish closeouts, while Onyeka Okongwu has quietly been a real two-way piece at 15.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, plus 1.1 blocks. Dyson Daniels won’t headline a preview, but his two-way impact matters when you’re trying to speed a team up, and he’s been productive as a starter at 11.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.6 assists.
The biggest “Hawks path” is simple: run, share, and protect the ball. They just coughed it up 21 times in their last game, and if that happens again, it’s over. But if they clean that up and get their pace game rolling early, they can absolutely drag this into a scoreboard fight.
Why The Knicks Have The Advantage
The Knicks have the cleaner profile, and it shows up in the team numbers that usually decide games: elite offense, elite shooting volume, and a strong net rating.
They’re scoring 120.3 points per game with a 122.0 offensive rating, and they’re burying 15.1 threes per game. That’s not “nice,” that’s a machine. And even defensively, they’re solid enough (114.9 defensive rating) to survive the occasional cold stretch. Put it together and you get why their net rating sits at +7.1, which is contender territory.
Then there’s the matchup problem: Brunson in control. The Hawks have struggled to keep anyone in front (116.4 defensive rating), and Brunson is exactly the kind of guard who turns that into paint touches, foul pressure, and kickouts to shooters. Towns also matters here because he forces bigs to defend in space, and that can pull rim protection away from where the Hawks want it.
Even beyond the two stars, the Knicks bring two-way wings who tilt games. Mikal Bridges is at 16.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, plus 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks, and that’s the kind of line that shows up in winning without needing him to take 20 shots.
The Knicks also come in playing confident basketball. They’ve won 12 of their last 15, and that matters when the other side is on a back-to-back trying to stop a skid.
Hawks vs. Knicks Prediction
The Hawks can make this competitive if they control pace and stop handing out free possessions. But the Knicks’ offense is too consistent, and their shot profile travels.
Prediction: Knicks 124, Hawks 116
