Things are looking pretty bad for the New York Knicks right now. They currently trail the series against the Atlanta Hawks 2-1 and will play again at State Farm Arena for Game 4 on Saturday.
They really need to win this game if they want to keep the series going. If they lose another game then it will be very difficult for them to make a comeback in the series.
The series has unfolded completely differently than anyone in New York had expected. The Knicks won Game 1 but lost Games 2 and 3 by a combined two points, with both losses decided by the final possession.
In Game 3, the Hawks again answered in the fourth quarter, with CJ McCollum and Jonathan Kuminga scoring points. New York had 18 turnovers and made only 28.6% of their shots from three-point range.
A 3-1 series loss against the Hawks would be a disaster for a team built to go deep. Mike Brown knows this. This is what every Knicks fan is watching. Here are three bold predictions for Game 4.
Prediction 1: Jalen Brunson scores over 25 and plays like himself again
Brunson has scored 26, 29 and 28 points in back-to-back games in this series, so the points have clearly been up. But unfortunately, he has also been responsible for every misstep of late. In Game 3, not only did he miss a three-pointer in the air with 16 seconds remaining, but he turned the ball over on the last play as the Knicks were unable to even attempt a shot.
This is a game where Brunson needs to look like himself from start to finish, not just in detail. Playoff Brunson is a different player. Last year, before the Knicks took on the Pacers, he was one of the best closers in the league, and there's no reason why that player couldn't show up in Game 4.
Brunson drops at least 25 and makes the right play when the game is on the line.
Prediction 2: Mikal Bridges struggles again and sees fewer minutes
Bridges had no points in Game 3, going 0-for-3 with one rebound and two assists in 21 minutes. In four-quarter periods in Games 2 and 3, they had zero field goals and six total turnovers.
Mike Brown took him out in the third quarter and kept him on the bench for most of the second half.
Miles McBride got 31 minutes while Bridges only got 21 minutes, and the Knicks were clearly more effective with that smaller lineup. Since Bridges is having trouble in this matchup, it's hard to imagine Brown falling back on him in heavy moments when McBride is giving him more on the floor.
Prediction: Bridges plays less than 25 minutes again, and McBride handles the bulk of those extra possessions.
Prediction 3: Karl-Anthony Towns posts a double-double and stays on the floor
Towns had 21 points and 17 rebounds in Game 3, and he was certainly the best big man on the floor all night. The issue is that the Knicks are finding it difficult to utilize him in the most important moments; In fact, the final play went to Brunson.
As a small team, the Hawks and Towns demonstrated very clearly what this mismatch will look like when it comes to offense.
The Browns should keep Towns on the court for a full 40 minutes instead of just longer, because with the production from both Towns and Brunson, New York is a completely different team.
If these three things happen, the Knicks may very well win.
Prediction: Towns gets at least 22 points and 11 rebounds, and New York wins 110-102 to tie the series 2-2.
