Knicks vs. Hawks odds, prediction, time: 2026 NBA playoff picks, Game 2 best bets by proven model

The New York Knicks will look to protect home court, again, when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Monday in Game 2 of their NBA playoffs 2026 first-round series. The East's No. 3 seed, New York (53-29) defeated the sixth-seeded Hawks (46-36), 113-102, in Saturday's Game 1. New York's now won six of its last seven, while Atlanta has dropped four of its last five.Onyeka Okongwu (knee) is questionable for Atlanta.

Tipoff is at 8 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The Knicks are 10-5 all-time versus the Hawks in the NBA postseason. The latest Hawks vs. Knicks odds from FanDuel Sportsbook have New York as the 5.5-point favorite, while the over/under for total points scored is 216.5. Before making any Knicks vs. Hawks picks, check out the Hawks vs. Knicks predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model entered the 2026 NBA playoffs on a sizzling 23-9 roll (72%) on top-rated NBA spread picks this season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.    

Now, the model has simulated Hawks vs. Knicks 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NBA picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NBA odds and NBA betting lines for Knicks vs. Hawks:

Top Knicks vs. Hawks predictions

After 10,000 simulations of Hawks vs. Knicks, SportsLine's model is going Over on the total (217.5) in over-under betting. Just two teams have favored the Over on the road more so than the Hawks this season. Atlanta has seen the Over go 24-18 away from home, hitting at 57.1%. Three of the Hawks' last four road games have eclipsed the total, while the Over is 4-1 over Atlanta's last five playoff games.

The last seven meetings between these teams, including Game 1, have averaged 234.7 total points. The model forecasts New York to have the game's two top scorers, with both going for over 21 points. However, Atlanta counters with more balance and depth, as seven Hawks are projected to score more than 7 points, compared to five for New York. SportsLine's model calls for 218 total points, per 10,000 simulations, making the over the value side. See the Knicks vs. Hawks spread pick at SportsLine, and bet the Over at FanDuel right here: 

How to make Hawks vs. Knicks picks

After simulating each possession 10,000 times, the model also says one side of the spread hits almost 70% of the time. You can head to SportsLine to see the model's NBA picks. 

So who wins Knicks vs. Hawks, and which side of the spread hits in almost 70% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Hawks vs. Knicks line to back, all from the model that has returned well over $10,000 on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.