Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks Prediction: Can We Trust Dejounte Murray Tonight?
The Atlanta Hawks are at the Garden taking on the New York Knicks. Can we trust Dejounte Murray tonight against the Knicks? Ben Rajavuori answers.
Ben Rajavuori - March 5, 2024, 5:07 PM EST
5 minAtlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks Prediction: Can We Trust Dejounte Murray Tonight?
The Atlanta Hawks travel to Madison Square Garden tonight to take on the New York Knicks. The Hawks are currently hanging on the last spot in the play-in tournament of the playoffs sitting in 10th place with a record of 26–34. The Knicks are still high up in the east as they’re sitting in fourth place with a record of 36–25. both teams will be down a few players due to injury, which will make the spread interesting in this game. However, we are not interested in the spread in this game tonight.
Hawks vs. Knicks DATE, TIME, AND WHERE TO WATCH
- Date: March 5, 2024
- Game Time: 7:30 pm ET
- Where to Watch: NBA League Pass, MSG Network
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks Prediction
The player I am looking at tonight is Hawks guard Dejounte Murray. Dejounte Murray is in his seventh season in the NBA and second season with the Hawks. He is averaging a career-high 21.6 points per game this season and has also been shooting a career-high 46.6% from the field. Murray has started every game he has played for the Hawks this season and will start in the point guard position tonight in the place of injured Trae Young, who is still out with a finger injury.
Dejounte Murray has played well without Trae Young this season. He is averaging 32.5 points+rebounds+assists (PRA) this season, which jumps to 39.7 PRA in the nine games Trae Young has missed this season. While Murray has played well in this role, and we have even made money off of him recently without Young, I am going to fade him tonight.
We backed Murray last Thursday against the Nets to go over 36.5 PRA and he passed it by hitting 39. He has now hit over 36.5 PRA in six of nine games without Young this season, but he has a bad matchup tonight against the Knicks. For starters, the Knicks have played extremely well against guards, as they allow the third-lowest points to point guards per game. They’re also stingy with their assists. The Knicks also give up the second-lowest threes to guards per game, as they guard the perimeter very well. Additionally, this is a bad matchup game script-wise, because the Knicks play at the slowest pace in the NBA and also have the tenth best defensive rating in the NBA.
It is a bit of a red flag to me that Dejounte Murray is staying at 36.5 PRA in this game which is the same line he has had in most of his games without Trae Young, even though today he’s facing a much tougher Knicks defense that plays at the slowest pace in the NBA. Also, putting into consideration the teams Murray has matched up against without Young this season in those nine games, this will be his toughest matchup, and in his other tough matchups, like against the Sixers and Heat, he went under this line of 36.5 PRA in those games. I like him to go under again tonight in this tough matchup.
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks Pick
Pick: Dejounte Murray Under 36.5 Points+Rebounds+Assists -105 Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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