NBA 101

Where to watch Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks Game 4 NBA playoffs: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Saturday, April 25

The New York Knicks will try to rebound in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks won Games 2 and 3, each by a single point. The Knicks are slight 1.5-point favorites.

How to watch New York Knicks vs. Atlanta Hawks

• Date: Saturday, April 25

• Time: 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT

• Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia

• TV Channels: NBC, Peacock

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Odds

• Spread: Atlanta Hawks +1.5

• Moneyline: Atlanta Hawks +105 (46.3%) / New York Knicks -130 (53.7%)

• Over/Under: 214.5

Series results, schedule

Game 1:Knicks 113, Hawks 102
Game 2:Hawks 107, Knicks 106
Game 3:Hawks 109, Knicks 108
Game 4: Sat., April 25, at Atlanta (6 p.m., NBC)
*Game 5: Tue., April 28,at New York (TBD)
*Game 6: Thu., April 30, at Atlanta (TBD)
*Game 7: Sat., May 2, at New York (TBD)

*if necessary

Knicks vs Hawks Prediction, Picks & Odds for NBA Playoffs Game 4

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The New York Knicks are looking to bounce back after dropping two straight games as they head into Game 4 on the road against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.

Jalen Brunson fell just short down the stretch in Game 3, but my Knicks vs. Hawks predictions expect him to respond with a signature scoring performance to help New York even up the series.

Here are my best free NBA picks for Saturday’s Game 4 from State Farm Arena.

Knicks vs Hawks prediction

Who will win Knicks vs Hawks Game 4?

Knicks: It’s do-or-die time for the New York Knicks, who are staring down a potential 3-1 series deficit. Coming back from a 3-1 hole is nearly impossible, and New York can reclaim home-court advantage and regain momentum with a victory in Game 4.

The Knicks had the ball on the final possession of Games 2 and 3, and they lost by one point in each on a missed Mikal Bridges jumper and a Jalen Brunson turnover. Brunson and the Knicks will clean up their mistakes from the last two games and win this one on the road.

Knicks vs Hawks best bet: Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points (-110)

When the NBA playoffs roll around, Jalen Brunson elevates his scoring to a new level. Since 2023-24, Brunson is one of just four players to average 30+ points per game, and he’s the only one to play in more than six games.

With an average of 30.4 points across his last 34 playoff games, Brunson has a proven track record in critical games.

Brunson has found success in Game 4’s in recent seasons. He’s averaged 32.6 points per game across his last seven Game 4’s, scoring 27+ six times. He’s reached that mark in four of his last five road games in that situation.

Over his last 21 playoff games overall, Brunson has averaged a healthy 29.2 points, and he’s scored 27+ 14 times, including two of three in this year’s postseason. He came up just shy of that mark in Game 3, finishing with 26 points.

Brunson averaged 28.5 points in six matchups against the Atlanta Hawks this season, including 30 points per game at State Farm Arena. Brunson reached 27+ points in four of six games against the Hawks.

In the regular season, Brunson recorded 27+ points in 38 of 74 games overall and in 21 of 38 games on the road. He hit a clutch “And-1” in the final minute of Game 3 only to watch as CJ McCollum hit a go-ahead bucket in the final seconds.

Brunson uncharacteristically turned the ball over on the final possession of the game, and he’ll be driven to atone for that mistake and lead his team to victory. This could be the blowup scoring game for which New York Knicks fans have been waiting.

Knicks vs Hawks same-game parlay

Each of the last two games of the series has been decided by one point, and four of six head-to-head matchups in 2025-26 have been decided by three points or fewer. Game 4 will be a dog fight, but I expect Brunson to lead the Knicks to a crucial victory.

A win for New York makes this a best-of-three series with home court advantage, but a loss means the Knicks will need to win three straight. After coming up just shy in Games 2 and 3, I expect the Knicks to play with urgency and get the job done on the road before coming back to the Garden.

This hasn’t been a high-scoring series, but the point totals keep creeping down, and we can find value in the Over. Three of six games between these teams have gone for at least 215 points, and two more went for 213.

Game 3 totaled 217 points despite two of New York’s starters combining for just two points. I’ll bet the Over as New York gets back on track offensively.

Knicks vs Hawks SGP

• Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points
• Knicks -1.5
• Over 214.5

Our “from downtown” SGP: Villanova Three!

Josh Hart finished with just two points on 1-of-9 shooting in Game 3, and he’s got to be more productive. Improved scoring from New York’s starters is crucial, as the Knicks have lost two straight games by just one point.

Hart scored 12+ in 18 of 33 road games in the regular season, and he’s due for a bounce-back performance in a critical Game 4.

Mikal Bridges has scored 21 total points on 8-of-22 shooting through the first three games of this series. That’s dreadful for a guy who was brought in to be the missing piece on a contending team.

Bridges logged only 21 minutes in Game 3 in favor of Miles McBride (15 points), and I expect the benching and poor performance to motivate him in Saturday’s high-stakes matchup.

Knicks vs Hawks SGP

• Jalen Brunson Over 26.5 points
• Knicks -1.5
• Josh Hart Over 11.5 points
• Mikal Bridges Over 10.5 points

Knicks vs Hawks odds for Game 4

• Spread: Knicks -1.5 (-115) | Hawks +1.5 (+105)
• Moneyline: Knicks -130 | Hawks +110
• Over/Under: Over 214.5 | Under 214.5

Knicks vs Hawks betting trend to know

The New York Knicks have hit the 4Q Moneyline in 35 of their last 50 games (+19.90 Units / 27% ROI). Find more NBA betting trends for Knicks vs. Hawks.

How to watch Knicks vs Hawks Game 4

Knicks vs Hawks latest injuries

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Pistons-Magic takeaways: It looks like we're in for a long series, folks

Game 3 of the first-round series between the Pistons and Magic on Saturday was unquestionably the best one yet, as the two squads could not have looked more equal down the stretch. 

The Magic seemed to have control of the game up until the fourth quarter, but ultimately relinquished their lead, which led to an absolute dog fight till the end. 

Through stellar play from Wendell Carter Jr. (14 points, 17 rebounds), and seven 3-pointers from Desmond Bane, the Magic walked away with a 113-105 win and now lead the series 2-1.

Let’s get into some takeaways. 

Ausar Thompson, the versatile lob threat 

When you think of Detroit’s Ausar Thompson, you’re probably thinking of him as a lob finisher, running in transition and finishing plays over the defense. 

While that description isn’t wrong, the 6-foot-7 wing is also very capable of throwing the lob pass and the versatility was on full display to start Game 3, showcasing both skills to put Orlando’s defense on its heels. 

Orlando has struggled to keep Thompson out of the paint, failing to press up on him enough when he’s away from the basket, giving him clear and unobstructed views of passing lanes. 

Generally, the Magic can produce an effective defense, but they struggle against athletic wings who can cover a lot of ground in a short span of time. Thompson fits that bill. 

The young wing asserted himself early, and kept the Pistons close, relentlessly attacking the rim and drawing fouls, as he finished with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 5 blocks, 2 steals and 3 assists. 

Too much dribbling from Paolo Banchero 

It’s becoming a theme in Orlando that Paolo Banchero is overtaxed as a No. 1 option. He’s given the ball too far out of the paint and is asked to constantly initiate like he’s Nikola Jokić, which he is not. 

This isn’t on him, but rather the coaching staff, which seems to be under the impression the bulky 6-10 powerhouse doesn’t need to receive the ball as he goes downhill. 

The current setup leads to too many turnovers, suboptimal scoring position, low shooting efficiency and him becoming less of a factor. 

Fortunately, it didn’t cost Orlando in Game 3. But his raw line of 25 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists was offset by a 6-of-17 shooting performance. 

Worst-“Cade” scenario for the first three quarters 

Look, Cade Cunningham can have nights where he looks like a future MVP and a top-five guy in the league. 

But he’ll blend in games like these, entering the fourth quarter with five made field goals on 17 attempts and eight turnovers, ultimately forcing the Pistons to play catch-up. (Orlando was up 17 points at one point.) 

Cunningham finished with 27 points and turned on the jets in the fourth quarter, quieting the skeptics for a bit, but the issue remains. 

If he has ambitions of a Finals run, Cunningham needs to set the tone and not allow the Pistons to fall into a hole. Relying on come-from-behind runs is too often a fool’s errand, and it’s an entirely unreliable approach in the postseason. 

Mike Brown non-committal on Knicks' starting lineup ahead of Game 4 vs. Hawks

With the Knicks down 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs following their loss on Thursday night, head coach Mike Brown said on Friday that the starting lineup for Game 4 on Saturday will be a “game-time decision.”

Brown mentioned that everything is on the table for New York, who has dropped the last two games against the Hawks after a convincing win in Game 1 at Madison Square Garden.

The news of a possible change comes on the heels of Mikal Bridges scoring zero points in Game 3 and turning the ball over four times in just 21 minutes. Josh Hart also had a rough game offensively with two points, although he finished with nine rebounds and six assists in 40 minutes.

It was the second straight poor performance from Bridges who was held to 10 points in the Knicks’ Game 2 loss, all of which came in the first half. Bridges also missed the potential game-winning shot in that game and in the last six quarters for New York he’s gone 0-for-7 from the field.

In his second season with the Knicks after getting traded by the Nets for five first-round picks, Bridges scored 14.4 points per game while shooting 49 percent from the field and added 3.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. 

The 29-year-old hasn’t missed a game since joining New York and has started every single game he’s played since the 2020-21 season with Phoenix Suns, who drafted him 10th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft.

Where to watch Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers NBA playoffs: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Friday, April 24

The Boston Celtics take on the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 3 of their NBA first-round playoff series. The teams split the first two games in Boston. Games 3 and 4 will be in Philadelphia. The Celtics are favored by 7.5 points in Game 3.

How to watch Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers

• Date: Friday, April 24

• Time: 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT

• Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

• TV Channels: Amaz

• Live Stream:NBA League Pass | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Odds

• Spread: Philadelphia 76ers +7.5

• Moneyline: Philadelphia 76ers +240 (28.2%) / Boston Celtics -300 (71.8%)

• Over/Under: 214.5

Series schedule

Game 1:Celtics 123, 76ers 91
Game 2:76ers 111, Celtics 97
Game 3: Fri., April 24 at Philadelphia (7 p.m., Prime)
Game 4: Sun., April 26 at Philadelphia (7 p.m., NBC)
*Game 5: Tue., April 28 at Boston (TBD)
*Game 6: Thu., April 30 at Philadelphia (TBD)
*Game 7: Sat., May 2 at Boston (TBD)if necessary

Why top basketball prospects returning to NCAA is best outcome for NBA

Rather than declare as early entry candidates for the 2026 NBA Draft, several of the top players in college basketball decided to go back to school.

With the significant rise of NIL packages offered to collegiate players to play another season with their college team or use the transfer portal, the basketball world has never seen such little financial incentive to turn pro. In many cases, top men’s basketball players can actually collect more annual money at their university than they would have in the first year of their rookie scale contract.

Prospects have until 11:59 p.m. ET on April 24 to declare as early entry candidates for the 2026 NBA Draft. Those players can remain as draft candidates 11:59 p.m. ET on May 27 if they want to maintain their collegiate eligibility.

It is not uncommon for players to “test the waters” and go through the draft process and attend the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, then decide to go back to school.

AJ DYBANTSA DECLARES FOR NBA DRAFT: How does he project at the next level?

Notable players who have already declared for the draft but may still return to their college team next season include Morez Johnson Jr. (Michigan), Ebuka Okorie (Stanford) and Meleek Thomas (Arkansas). Some who have declared (e.g. Allen Graves, Flory Bidunga, Tounde Yessoufou, Milan Momcilovic and Juke Harris) also entered the transfer portal and a few have already committed to new schools.

This year, more than ever, several notable players announced they will not even go through the pre-draft process.

Thomas Haugh (Florida), Braylon Mullins (UConn) and Patrick Ngongba II (Duke) are among those who were widely considered potential first-round picks but opted to not enter the pre-draft process. Others, including Pryce Sandfort (Nebraska), Alex Condon (Florida), Joseph Tugler (Houston) and David Mirković (Illinois), made the same decision.

Haugh is reportedly expected to earn what he would have made in his first two NBA seasons combined at Florida next season, according to The Athletic.

Some have argued that NIL is bad for the NBA, but in many cases, the opposite is true. NIL is mutually beneficial for both the NCAA and the NBA at large.

NBA DRAFT: How the order was impacted by league’s tiebreaking process

For college basketball, top players returning can help teams compose the most talented rosters available and keep the product as interesting as possible for fans with old faces at either familiar or new places. Players can build their brands and create a legacy while improving their draft stock in the process.

In the NBA, meanwhile, professional teams can reserve roster spots only for the most ready-to-contribute players. Rather than drafting young players with the hope to develop them over the years, they can use the spots at the end of their bench for veterans who do not need that same on-ramp in the pros.

Ideally, these players can become known quantities while in college rather than alluring but risky mystery boxes for the next level. Now that players can hire agents, it is often even more financially lucrative for their clients to stay in school as well.

College basketball provides players from around the world a chance to get mentally and physically ready as they mature, rather than rush, to reach their dreams of playing in the NBA. Big name players staying in the NCAA is mutually beneficial for everyone involved.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Top college basketball products return to NCAA. Why it’s good for NBA

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