The New York Knicks are on the brink of advancing to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the fourth straight season, but standing in their way is a resilient Atlanta Hawks squad looking to force a Game 7. Game 6 of this thrilling first-round series tips off Thursday at 7 p.m. ET from State Farm Arena, with the Knicks holding a commanding 3-2 series lead after a dominant 126-97 victory in Game 5.
The third-seeded Knicks (53-29) have been a force all season, and their road record—23-20 including the postseason—shows they can win away from Madison Square Garden. For the sixth-seeded Hawks (46-36), this is a chance to prove they belong among the East's elite. Atlanta hasn't reached the second round since their magical 2020-21 run, and they'll need to channel that energy to keep their season alive. The all-time postseason series favors New York 12-7, but the Hawks have won six of the last 10 playoff meetings, adding an extra layer of intrigue to this matchup.
According to the latest odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, the Knicks are 2.5-point favorites on the road, with the over/under set at 213.5 total points. The moneyline and streaming options are also available for fans looking to catch every moment of the action.
If you're thinking about making a pick for this game, you'll want to see what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say. This advanced simulation tool runs each game 10,000 times and has generated over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. Entering the second week of the 2026 playoffs, the model is on a scorching 25-9 run (74%) on top-rated spread picks alone.
After simulating Knicks vs. Hawks 10,000 times, the model is leaning toward the Over on the 213.5-point total. The Over has hit in two of the last three head-to-head meetings, and with both teams capable of explosive scoring runs, this game could be a shootout. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a casual bettor, this is a game you won't want to miss—and the numbers suggest it's going to be a high-scoring thriller.