There's definitely going to be a home-court advantage for the Knicks in this one with a season-high 15,000 fans in attendance. Those fans should likely will be nuts in the team's first playoff game in eight years. Defense tends to be even tighter in the postseason and that should favor the Knicks as they lead the league in scoring defense, opposing field goal percentage and opposing three-point shooting.

The Knicks return to the playoffs for a matchup against a Hawks team they defeated in all three regular-season meetings. Madison Square Garden should be electric, making things even tougher for an Atlanta club that was just 16-20 on the road this season. Add in New York's sparkling 25-11 record at home, and I like it to start off the series with a win.

The Knicks ended the regular season as the NBA’s best cover team (45-25-2 ATS) with the best defense that allowed the fewest points (104.7 ppg) and held opponents to the lowest shooting percentage from the field (44.0 percent) and 3-point land (33.7 percent). They also won and covered all three meetings with the Hawks this season, and the Hawks shot well in two of the games. There are lots of questionable important players for Atlanta on the injury list as well. Sunday night playoffs at Madison Square Garden after an eight-year wait? I’m on the Knicks.