Atlanta, GA
Falcons ‘Really Confident’ in Rookie LB Before First Start vs. Bucs on TNF
When the Atlanta Falcons’ defense takes the field Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, rookie linebacker JD Bertrand is expected to be in the middle of it.
Bertrand, drafted in the fifth round out of Notre Dame this April, is next-in-line for Atlanta at linebacker after Troy Andersen was ruled out Wednesday with a knee injury. Andersen started the past three games in place of Nate Landman, who’s on injured reserve with quad and calf ailments.
The 24-year-old Bertrand played eight defensive snaps Sunday after seeing just one — the first of his NFL career — the week prior. Bertrand has recorded two tackles thus far, both on special teams, where he’s played 85% of Atlanta’s snaps.
Now, Bertrand is in the spotlight, seeing his first taste of extensive action on Thursday Night Football — and he feels prepared.
“Any opportunity, I’m going to continue to be ready and I think that’s been my job up to this point as a backup,” Bertrand said. “If the opportunity appears Thursday, then I’ll be sure I’m ready.”
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris, who’s often referred to Bertrand by his “Captain America” nickname, echoed similar sentiments surrounding his belief in Bertrand’s readiness.
“I told you I was really confident in JD a long time ago,” Morris said. “It’s his opportunity to go out there and get ready to go play, and play alongside Kaden [Elliss], and I feel really good about what he’s done. I feel really good about his progress. I feel really good about what he did in the preseason.
“Then we had a chance to get him out there and go with some of our guys, get ramped up in special teams, the proving ground for us, and now we get a chance to get him out there, get some live bullets, man. I’m fired up to see him.”
Confidence in Bertrand stems from the way he’s played since the Falcons started rookie minicamp May 10. Be it OTAs, training camp or the preseason, Bertrand continually turned heads.
But he also proved Atlanta’s coaching staff correct in its pre-draft evaluation of his skill set, defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake said.
“He sees it really, really well — it’s the reason why we drafted him,” Lake said. “We can see and feel his football instincts. Once he arrived here, all of those traits showed up in practice. He got a few reps this last Sunday, played really well.”
Bertrand, who stands 6-foot-1, 233 pounds, has spent much of the early part of the season preparing for his special teams snaps. This week, ahead of his expected starting opportunity, he’s shifted the balance to be more defense-heavy.
That process includes understanding the game plan as its installed, watching previous games and matching defensive calls to different plays their opponents have run this year.
Once Bertrand feels comfortable and confident pairing any call to any offensive play shown on film, he feels ready — but the chance he received to get his feet wet Sunday against the New Orleans Saints gave him another sense of belief.
“I think last game, it’s just continuing each time you play, you gain a little bit more confidence and a little bit more [of] knowing you can do it,” Bertrand said. “So, that’s what I gained from last week.”
Bertrand also banked more reps with Elliss, who’s played every defensive snap this season for the Falcons. Bertrand noted he has a strong off-field relationship with Elliss which leads to strong communication on it.
At middle linebacker, communication is critical. It’s particularly important Thursday, as Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s history with Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay spearheads an offense with shifts, motions and a chance to stress defensive communication.
But the Falcons believe Bertrand is more than capable of rising to the occasion, even on a short week.
“He’s such an adult and a mature young man,” Morris said. “He takes care of himself. He’s one of the guys you would say, if it was a rookie, you’d worry about him in a short week, but he’s just not like that. He takes care of his body. He’s always conscientious of what he needs to do.
“He’s always conscientious in his book and his study habits, the things that he does with his position coach, the things that he does with his coordinator. He’s been in the mix so much.”
From his habits and offseason performance to the film the Falcons watched when they drafted him, Bertrand has given Atlanta many reasons to believe. It doesn’t mean there’s nothing to fear, but rather the Falcons are confident in who Bertrand has proven to be.
“I’m not saying I don’t have any concerns with him, but I got very few or very limited that don’t really come to mind,” Morris said.
Bertrand prepared like a starter even during his time as Atlanta’s fourth-string linebacker, Morris said. He took plenty of reps with the first-team defense during camp, giving Morris a baseline to predict a strong outing from Bertrand on Thursday night.
“I got a feeling he’s going to go out there and play really well,” Morris said.
Lake agreed.
“Us as coaches, we’re expecting no drop-off,” Lake said. “We have a lot of confidence in JD.”
Now, Bertrand gets the opportunity to prove the Falcons right — in front of a national audience under the primetime lights. Toss in the allure of the Alpharetta, Ga., native making his first start in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and Bertrand is under immense pressure.
But rather than feeling stressed, Bertrand has a different emotion — one that properly represents the Falcons’ internal feelings ahead of the first start any of their rookies have made this season.
“It’s definitely exciting,” Bertrand said. “I think probably leave it at that — it’s just an exciting time and I’m excited for whatever opportunity I do get going forward.”
Atlanta Hawks (46-36, sixth in the Eastern Conference) vs. New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference)
New York; Monday, 8 p.m. EDT
LINE: Knicks -5.5; over/under is 216.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND: Knicks lead series 1-0
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference first round with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Knicks won the last matchup 113-102 on Saturday, led by 28 points from Jalen Brunson. CJ McCollum led the Hawks with 26.
The Knicks are 35-17 in Eastern Conference games. New York has a 9-4 record in one-possession games.
The Hawks are 27-25 in Eastern Conference play. Atlanta is third in the league scoring 18.1 fast break points per game. McCollum leads the Hawks averaging 5.0.
The Knicks are shooting 47.8% from the field this season, 0.4 percentage points higher than the 47.4% the Hawks allow to opponents. The Hawks are shooting 47.4% from the field, 1.4% higher than the 46.0% the Knicks’ opponents have shot this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds for the Knicks. Brunson is averaging 19.9 points over the last 10 games.
Dyson Daniels is scoring 11.9 points per game and averaging 6.8 rebounds for the Hawks. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is averaging 21.3 points and 2.9 rebounds over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Knicks: 6-4, averaging 110.4 points, 40.7 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 8.4 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.9 points per game.
Hawks: 5-5, averaging 117.2 points, 43.5 rebounds, 27.7 assists, 8.4 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.0 points.
INJURIES: Knicks: Tyler Kolek: day to day (oblique), Mitchell Robinson: day to day (ankle), Karl-Anthony Towns: day to day (elbow).
Hawks: Jock Landale: out (ankle).
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks prediction, pick for Game 1 of 2026 NBA Playoffs first round
Sean Barnard details his preview and prediction for Saturday’s Atlanta Hawks vs. New York Knicks matchup in the NBA Playoffs.
The NBA playoffs are officially underway with a loaded opening round. Taking place in the No. 3 vs. No. 6 matchup in the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks will take on the New York Knicks.
You can check out the full series preview on DraftKings Network here.
Looking at the odds for the series opener, the Knicks enter as 6.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Hawks are +205 underdogs with the game total set at O/U 218.5 points.
This article will look at a preview and prediction for the Eastern Conference series opener.
Hawks vs. Knicks prediction, preview
The Atlanta Hawks went through a midseason transition, moving on from Trae Young after he headlined the production for the franchise for the past eight years. The Hawks have not missed a beat amid the major midseason shakeup, finishing as the sixth seed in the conference with a 46-36 overall record. On the season, Atlanta has gone 44-38 against the spread, and the game total has gone 41-41 to the over/under.
Jock Landale is the only player set to miss the matchup tonight. Jalen Johnson headlines the production, posting averages of 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game. Nickeil Alexander-Walker has had a breakout season in a new location, adding 20.8 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. CJ McCollum adds 18.7 points and 4.1 assists across his first 41 games with the organization, while Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, Jonathan Kuminga, and Zaccharie Risacher also play notable roles.
Quin Snyder’s group scores 118.5 points per game, which ranks sixth in the NBA. The Hawks also rank 14th in offensive rating, 13th in field goal percentage, and fifth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 116.0 points per game against Atlanta, which ranks 18th in the league. They also rank ninth in defensive rating, 18th in opponent field goal percentage, and 12th in opponent three-point percentage.
The New York Knicks entered the season with legitimate title aspirations. They have had some notable ups and downs, but now face this opportunity. New York finished the regular season with a 53-29 record and sit in third place in the East. The Knicks have gone 44-39 against the spread, and the game total has gone 38-45 to the over/under.
The Knicks enter this matchup with a clear injury report and a large sample size of the team playing together. Jalen Brunson headlines the production with 26.0 points, 6.8 assists, and 3.3 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns pitches in 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists of his own. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are responsible for the production at the wing positions, while Josh Hart sets the tone for this team from a hustle standpoint. New York also did an impressive job building out the bench unit this season, with players like Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet, and Tyler Kolek capable of serving as X-factors off the bench.
As a team, the Knicks are scoring 116.5 points per game, which ranks 10th in the NBA. New York also ranks third in offense rating, 11th in field goal percentage, and fourth in three-point percentage. Defensively, opponents are scoring 110.1 points per game against the Knicks, which ranks fifth in the league. They also rank seventh in defensive rating, fifth in opponent field goal percentage, and 20th in opponent three-point percentage.
Hawks vs. Knicks pick, best bet
These are two teams at different stages of their timeline, but neither will be afraid of this playoff spotlight. The Knicks pushed their chips in around this core and are hoping to be rewarded for it. They fell to the Indiana Pacers in the Conference Finals last year and have made the postseason in four consecutive seasons. Atlanta missed out on the playoffs in back-to-back years and turned a new page direction with Jalen Johnson now leading the charge. Without Trae Young, the Hawks now lean on more of a defensive-minded identity and have a roster loaded with athleticism.
During the regular season, these teams faced off three times. They split the first two matchups, which took place on December 27th and January 2nd. New York picked up a narrow 108-105 victory in the most recent game, which took place on April 6th. Both sides were aware that this was a potential postseason matchup, and this game had some major seeding implications. It was an evenly matched game in which neither team was able to extend a lead beyond 10 points, and the rebounding battle was separated by just one board. The biggest discrepancy came with the Knicks shooting 50% compared to the Hawks shooting 40%, and New York outscoring Atlanta 52-34 in the paint.
While there are higher expectations for this Knicks team in the postseason outlook, the Hawks stack up fairly well in this matchup. Jalen Brunson will be at the heart of the offensive attack for New York. But his biggest weakness is when he is guarded by high-level athletes with a size advantage over him. The Hawks have built out a roster loaded with this archetype of player, and there is not a clear matchup for Brunson to hunt in most lineup combinations.
Brunson has enough experience and savvy to will settle in over the course of the series. But expect some growing pains in the early parts of this matchup, and for this to be a huge hurdle for this Knicks team. I am backing the Hawks to cover the 5.5-point spread and would not be shocked if they steal the opening game. This is a series in which neither side should be expected to pull away by major margins throughout. Count on Atlanta to have defense success and have a clear gameplan for limiting the impact of Brunson. Expect this matchup to come down to the wire and take the points in the series opener.
Best Bet: Hawks +6.5 (-112)
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