Picks and Final Score Predictions For Tonight's Hawks-Knicks Matchup

The final week of the season is here and the Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks are both working to finish the season strong and head into the postseason with momentum.

This is only the third time that the two teams have met this season and the first time they have met since the Hawks remade their team. When they last played in early January, Atlanta had not acquired CJ McCollum, Jonathan Kuminga, Gabe Vincent, and others and the Hawks were floundering in the standings, heading for another season in the play-in tournament.

Fast forward three months and the Hawks are 19-3 since the All-Star break and have surged to 5th in the Eastern Conference standings. Jalen Johnson is a lock to make an All-NBA team and Nickeil Alexander-Walker is the favorite to win the most improved player award.

The Knicks are not going to be an easy opponent by any means and this is a potential playoff preview for the first round. The Knicks have one of the most talented teams in the NBA and on their best nights, they can beat anyone and there is a reason they are one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference.

So who takes this game and the season series tonight?

Preview and prediction

Jalen Johnson Atlanta Hawks — Apr 3, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) shoots a technical foul against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels have turned into a really strong backcourt duo and they will be important on both ends of the floor tonight.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker has made 237 three-pointers this season, the most in a single season in his career and tied fourth-most in the NBA this season. He enters Monday's meeting with the Knicks just four triples shy of passing Bogdan Bogdanovic (240, 2023-24) for the most three-pointers in a single season in franchise history.

Alexander-Walker finished Atlanta's win on 4/3 with 21 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a season-high three blocks in 34 minutes of play. The seventh-year guard is averaging a career-best 20.6 points this season, +11.2 points more than last season (9.4). Amongst qualified players, his +11.2 points per game increase is the highest in the NBA this season and the third-highest in the league over the past 25 years.

Dyson Daniels tallied 11 points on 5-8 shooting from the field, including 1-2 from deep, six assists, four rebounds and five steals in 29 minutes against the Nets. It marked his third game of the season with 10+ points, 5+ assists and 5+ steals, one of only three players in the NBA to have at least three such games this season, joining Tyrese Maxey (4) and Cade Cunningham (3).

Daniels swiped his 500th career steal in the win, becoming the fifth-youngest player in NBA history to 500 steals: LeBron James (22 years, 29 days), Magic Johnson (22 years, 233 days), Isiah Thomas (22 years, 311 days), Chris Paul (22 years, 341 days), Dyson Daniels (23 years, 17 days).

Monday's matchup marks the final of three regular season meetings between the Hawks and the Knicks this season. New York took the first game of the series 128-125 on 12/27 at State Farm Arena. In the matchup Atlanta tallied 33 assists marking the 21st game this season with 30-or-more assists, the most of any team this season.

Jalen Johnson recorded 20 points in addition to nine rebounds and 12 assists in 37 minutes of action marking his 22nd double-double of season and 62nd of his career. With his performance, Johnson tallied his 13th straight double-double, the longest such streak by a Hawk since Kevin Willis’ 21-game double-double streak from 1/24/92-3/11/92. Onyeka Okongwu poured in a team-high 31 points on 10-16 shooting, including 6-10 from beyond the arc, in addition to 14 rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 36 minutes marking his second game of the season with at least 30 points and 10 boards and fourth such game of his career.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker tallied 25 points, including 5-12 from beyond the arc, in 30 minutes of action off the bench, marking his 17th game of the season with 20-or-more points. The Hawks took the second game of the series 111-99 on 1/2 at Madison Square Garden. Onyeka Okongwu recorded 23 points on 9-16 shooting, including 3-6 from deep, to go along with nine rebounds, two assists, three steals, and two blocks in 30 minutes of action. Nickeil Alexander-Walker tallied 23 points in addition to four rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 34 minutes of play. Jalen Johnson added 18 points on 7-14 shooting to go along with 10 rebounds, 11 assists, and two steals in 38 minutes of action marking his seventh triple-double of the season.

Both teams want to win this game as the season winds down, but I feel comfortable picking the Hawks in this spot. They have the perimeter defenders to throw at the Knicks playmakers and their offense can take advantage of mismatches on the other end. It should be a great game, but the Hawks win their 5th straight and 19th in their last 21 games.

Final Score: Hawks 119, Knicks 115