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The Atlanta Hawks will face the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday at the Spectrum Center. It’s time for a Southeast Division showdown, and we’re sharing our NBA odds series while making a Hawks-Hornets prediction and pick.
The Hawks lead the head-to-head series 70-65. Also, they defeated the Hornets 125-120 in their recent battle in Atlanta. But the Hornets are 7-3 over the past 10 games against the Hawks. They are also 4-1 in the past five games against the Hawks at the Spectrum Center.
Here are the Hawks-Hornets NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Hawks-Hornets Odds
Atlanta Hawks: -3.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -162
Charlotte Hornets: +3.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +136
Over: 227.5 (-110)
Under: 227.5 (-110)
How To Watch Hawks vs. Hornets
Time: 6 PM ET/3 PM PT
TV: FDSS
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why the Hawks Could Cover the Spread/Win
Things are tough for the Hawks as Trae Young is hurt and might not play in this game. He is suffering from an achilies tendon, and playing on back-to-back nights might be tough for him. Despite the injury, the Hawks still have done well at the basket.
The Hawks are eighth in points. Likewise, they are 17th in field-goal shooting percentage, including 20th from beyond the arc. Converting chances at the charity stripe has been inconsistent, as the Hawks rank 14th in free-throw shooting percentage. To compensate for the shooting inconsistencies, the Hawks have thrived on the boards, ranking 10th in rebounds. Meanwhile, passing has been hit-or-miss, as the Hawks are fourth in assists but 22nd in turnovers. The defense has been consistent, with the Hawks ranking ninth in blocked shots.
If Young does not play, the Hawks will turn to Jalen Johnson as the top guy, and he has done well so far. Johnson came into the weekend averaging 20.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game while shooting 48.4 percent from the floor. If he must be the guy, the Hawks believe he will find a way to get them some buckets.
De’Andre Hunter has not played much this season, only managing nine games. However, he has done well in his limited appearances, coming into the weekend averaging 17.6 points per game while shooting 45.6 percent from the hardwood. Dyson Daniels is an emerging player who could see a lot more action in this game. After scoring 17 points while hitting half of his shots against the Dallas Mavericks earlier this week, there is no doubt that he can make an impact. Rookie Zacharrie Risacher is also someone to watch, as he might get more of a chance to show what he has.
The Hawks will cover the spread if they can continue shooting the basketball efficiently. Then, they must clamp down on defense and defend the rim.
Why the Hornets Could Cover the Spread/Win
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Injuries have been an issue in Charlotte, and it got worse on Wednesday as LaMello Ball did not play against the New York Knicks as he suffered a calf injury on Wednesday. If Ball does not play against the Hawks, it will hurt an offense that has already dealt with numerous injury issues while struggling on offense.
The Hornets rank 25th in points. Likewise, they are just 29th in field-goal shooting percentage, including 15th from beyond the arc. Shooting free throws has not been an issue, as the Hornets are 13th in free-throw shooting percentage. Likewise, winning the board battle has helped the Hornets as they rank sixth in rebounds. Passing the basketball successfully has been abysmal, as the Hornets are just 28th in assists and 24th in turnovers. Yet, the defense has had some highlights, as the Hornets are 14th in blocked shots.
If Ball misses this game, second-year man Brandon Miller must step up. He came into the weekend averaging 19.9 points per game. However, he has struggled to shoot the basketball, hitting only 41.6 percent of his shots. That will not be enough for a team that is already missing Tre Mann and Miles Bridges. Nick Richards and Grant Williams are also out. Therefore, the rest of the roster must step up to account for the injuries.
The Hornets will cover the spread if Miller can create great shooting opportunities and sink shots. Then, the defense must counteract the Atlanta attack.
Final Hawks-Hornets Prediction & Pick
The Hawks are 7-12 against the spread, while the Hornets are 11-7 against the odds. Moreover, the Hawks are 5-5 against the spread on the road, while the Hornets are 6-4 against the odds at home. The Hawks are 1-3 against the spread when facing the division, while the Hornets are 2-3 against the odds when facing the Southeast Division. Furthermore, the Hawks are 1-3 against the spread when playing on no rest, while the Hornets are 1-2 against the odds when getting no rest.
Injuries are awful on both sides. However, the Hawks are slightly healthier than the Hornets. For that, I am rolling with them to cover the spread.
Final Hawks-Hornets Prediction & Pick: Hawks -3.5 (-110)
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