Home»NBA»Atlanta Hawks vs New York Knicks Pick - April 18, 2026

Atlanta Hawks vs New York Knicks Pick – April 18, 2026

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Senior Content Editor, Updated April 13, 2026
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Atlanta opens the playoffs on the road after a strong finish, but Game 1 sets up as a stylistic clash: the Hawks want to play faster (101.65 pace), while New York has been comfortable grinding possessions (96.80 pace) and leveraging home-court.

The market is pricing in that edge. New York is -5 on the spread and -198 on the moneyline, with a modest 215.5 total for a series that should slow down from Atlanta’s preferred tempo.

Odds & Game Info

MatchupDateTime (ET)ArenaSpreadMoneylineTotal
Atlanta Hawks @ New York KnicksApril 18, 20266:00 PMMadison Square GardenATL +5 (-110) | NYK -5 (-110)ATL +166 | NYK -198O 215.5 (-110) | U 215.5 (-110)

Team Overview

TeamRecord (Home/Road)Last 10ATSO/UORtgDRtgPaceKey Injury
Atlanta Hawks46-36 (24-17 / 22-19)7-344-38-040-42-0116.1113.7101.65Dyson Daniels (toe, day-to-day); Nickeil Alexander-Walker (toe, day-to-day); Jonathan Kuminga (knee, day-to-day)
New York Knicks53-29 (30-10 / 22-19)7-344-39-039-44-0119.8113.396.80No injuries currently listed

Team Recaps

Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta finished 46-36 with a split personality that matters for betting: they played faster than New York (101.65 pace) but landed in the same defensive neighborhood (113.7 DRtg). Their profile is good enough to hang around on most nights, but the path gets narrower if New York keeps them out of transition.

From a market standpoint, the Hawks were profitable away from home against the number (23-18 ATS on the road) and far more “Over-friendly” on the road too (24-17 O/U away, compared to 16-25 at home). That’s useful context in a playoff opener where role-player shotmaking can swing totals.

Rest should not be an excuse: Atlanta last played April 12 and gets a full week to prep before traveling to MSG for April 18.

New York Knicks

New York’s 53-29 record is backed by elite efficiency at a controlled tempo. The Knicks posted a 119.8 ORtg while playing at a 96.80 pace, which is exactly the kind of combination that tends to translate when whistles tighten and half-court possessions matter more.

This team has also been a different bet at home. New York went 28-13 ATS at MSG, a massive gap compared to its 16-26 ATS road mark. If you’re looking for a clean “why” behind the -5, it starts there.

Totals have leaned Under overall for New York (39-44 O/U), and their recent results show plenty of low-scoring outputs even in wins. Like Atlanta, the Knicks last played April 12, so they’ll be rested with no back-to-back concerns.

Matchup Keys

  • Tempo control: Hawks pace (101.65) vs Knicks pace (96.80). If New York dictates tempo, Atlanta’s margin for error shrinks.
  • Efficiency edge: Knicks ORtg (119.8) is materially higher than Atlanta’s (116.1), while the defenses are similar (NYK 113.3 DRtg; ATL 113.7 DRtg).
  • Home-court performance vs the number: Knicks are 28-13 ATS at home; Hawks are 23-18 ATS on the road.
  • Road scoring environment for Atlanta: Hawks games have gone Over 58.54% of the time on the road (24-17), compared to New York’s away games trending Under (18-24 O/U).
  • Knicks are 28-13-0 ATS at home this season.
  • Knicks are 16-26-0 ATS on the road this season.
  • Hawks are 23-18-0 ATS on the road this season.
  • Knicks are 39-44-0 to the Over this season (53.01% of games to the Under).
  • Hawks are 40-42-0 to the Over this season.
  • Hawks road games have gone Over at a 24-17-0 clip; Hawks home games have gone Under at a 25-16-0 clip.
  • Knicks home games are essentially split on totals (21-20-0), while their away games skew Under (18-24-0).
  • New York went 5-1 ATS in April; Atlanta went 3-3 ATS in April.

Best Bet

New York Knicks -5 (-110) for 2 units.

New York has been one of the most reliable home ATS teams in the league (28-13 ATS at MSG), and the matchup leans toward their preferred game script: slower pace, cleaner half-court reps, and an efficiency edge on offense (119.8 ORtg vs 116.1). Atlanta can absolutely score, but if the Knicks keep this out of transition, -5 is a reasonable number to lay with the better home team. The main risk is Atlanta’s road scoring environment showing up early, but New York’s home performance against the spread has consistently cleared higher bars than this.

Predicted Score

Knicks 109, Hawks 104

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