Knicks vs. Hawks Prediction, Odds and Best Prop Bets for NBA Playoffs Game 3

Mike Brown and the New York Knicks have a lot of questions to answer ahead of Game 3 against the Atlanta Hawks, as they blew a double-digit second half lead at home to allow Atlanta to even the series at one game apiece.

C.J. McCollum has become the newest villain at Madison Square Garden, torching the Knicks in both games to open this series. While Jalen Brunson was able to get going in Game 1, he has struggled since the first quarter of that matchup against the length and size of Atlanta’s perimeter defenders.

Oddsmakers expect an absolute battle on Thursday, as these teams are both -110 on the moneyline. Atlanta was 24-17 at home in the regular season while the Knicks struggled on the road, winning just 22 of their 41 games.

In the playoffs last season, New York was resilient on the road, especially in the first and second rounds against Detroit and Boston. Does that continue in the 2026 NBA Playoffs?

New York is going to have to close games stronger to stop this Atlanta team, which was 20-6 after the All-Star break and went from No. 10 to No. 6 in the East.

Here’s a look at the betting odds, a player prop to consider and my prediction for Game 3 on Thursday night.

Knicks vs. Hawks Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

Spread

Knicks +1.5 (-118)
Hawks -1.5 (-102)

Moneyline

Knicks: -110
Hawks: -110

Total

216.5 (Over -108/Under -112)

Knicks vs. Hawks How to Watch

Date: Thursday, April 23
Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
Venue: State Farm Arena
How to Watch (TV): Prime Video
Series: Tied 1-1

Knicks vs. Hawks Injury Reports

Knicks Injury Report

None to report

Hawks Injury Report

Jock Landale -- out

Knicks vs. Hawks Best NBA Prop Bets

Hawks Best NBA Prop Bet

C.J. McCollum 18+ Points (-163)

Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why McCollum is a great bet as a scorer in Game 3:

C.J. McCollum averaged 18.7 points per game during the regular season, and he’s taken on the No. 1 role for the Hawks on offense with the Knicks intent on slowing down All-Star Jalen Johnson.

McCollum has taken 20 and 22 shots in the first two games in this series, turning them into 26 and 32 points. He’s shooting 54.8 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from beyond the arc on 9.5 3-point attempts per game.

The volume here is ridiculous.

Always known to be a solid scorer, McCollum has attacked Jalen Brunson in switches and has a lot of playoff experience from his time in Portland. Being able to get him to score 18 or more points – at home – is an absolute steal in Game 3.

Knicks vs. Hawks Prediction and Pick

All season long, the Knicks have struggled on the road, going 9-18 against the spread as road favorites and just three games over .500 on the road in 41 games.

So, I’m buying Atlanta in Game 3 after it took the momentum in this series in the fourth quarter of Game 2.

It took a great shooting performance from 3 in Game 1 for the Knicks to win, and their offense became stagnant at the end of Game 2, relying heavily on Jalen Brunson.

After the Knicks’ bench helped flip Game 1 in their favor, it was essentially nonexistent in Game 2, and New York was crushed in the minutes that Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns were on the bench.

The Knicks have not been a team to trust on the road all season, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see them fall down 2-1 on Thursday night.

Pick: Hawks Moneyline (-110 at DraftKings)

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

Claim the latest DraftKings promo code offer today. Sign up and get $300 in bonus bets instantly when you make your first $5 bet and that bet wins.

Add us as a preferred source on Google