Atlanta, GA

Atlanta Hawks vs Miami Heat

Published

2 years ago

April 9, 2024

The Hawks have two home games left in the regular season and one of them is tonight vs the Miami Heat. Both teams come into tonight’s game in need of a win to improve their standing in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament or in Miami’s case, get out of it altogether.

The Hawks are coming into this game on a two-game losing streak and are hoping they can get rolling here as the regular season comes to an end and they can be playing their best basketball. Atlanta will still be without Trae Young for this game and will be leaning on Dejounte Murray to lift them to a home win vs Miami.

After winning Eastern Conference Player Of The Week, Murray cooled off a little last week, scoring 20 points only once in four games. He has been struggling shooting from the field and if Atlanta’s supporting cast does not deliver on nights when Murray is not as productive, the Hawks are usually in big trouble.

Bogdan Bogdanovic has been one of the Hawks’s best players this season and he is coming off of a night where he shot 75% from three. Bogdanovic is a huge part of the Hawks’ offense due to his three-point shooting ability and when he gets going, he can put up a huge scoring total. He had 38 in a loss vs Milwaukee a week ago.

De’Andre Hunter is going to have a lot of responsibility tonight on both ends of the floor. Hunter might be the Hawks’s best perimeter defender and will spend time guarding Jimmy Butler tonight. He can be inconsistent on the offensive end, but Hunter can be one of the Hawks’s most impactful players on any given night.

Jalen Johnson is the other player who could see some time guarding Butler tonight. Johnson has been one of the NBA’s most improved players this season on both ends of the floor and recorded his first career triple-double last week vs Detroit. Whether it is scoring, rebounding, or playmaking, Johnson has been able to do it all for the Hawks this season.

Clint Capela is one of the defensive anchors for the Hawks and their best rebounder. While he can miss some easy baskets, Capela is one of the Hawks most important players due to his strengths and he will be tasked with guarding Bam Adebayo tonight.

The Hawks rotation will likely consist of Kobe Bufkin, Garrison Matthews, Vit Krejci, and Bruno Fernando. Bufkin has shown the ability to be an impactful two-way player as a rookie, while Matthews and Krejci are two of Atlanta’s better shooters. Fernando can be inconsistent as the backup center but can bring energy and toughness on most nights.

Coming into this game, Atlanta ranks 5th in PPG, 20th in field goal percentage, 7th in three-point attempts, 15th in three-point percentage, 7th in free throw attempts, 2nd in offensive rebounding, and 16th in turnovers. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Hawks are 10th in points per 100 possessions, 16th in effective field goal percentage, 11th in turnover percentage, 5th in offensive rebounding percentage, and 12th in free throw rate.

The Hawks have had a problem with the Heat for the past few years and a lot of it has to do with the Heat’s defense and physicality. Not much has changed for Miami this year, as they rank 4th in PPG allowed, 10th in field goal percentage allowed, and 8th in three-point percentage allowed. Per Cleaning the Glass, Miami is 7th in points allowed per 100 possessions and 16th in effective field goal percentage allowed.

Miami has had a hard time staying healthy this season, but they are relatively healthy coming into tonight’s game. The report to watch is if Terry Rozier will play tonight, as he is questionable.

The problems for Miami are usually on offense and that is again the case this year. The Heat are 27th in PPG, 23rd in field goal percentage, 18th in three-point attempts, 13th in three-point percentage, 13th in free throw attempts, 27th in offensive rebounding, and 3rd in turnovers. Per Cleaning the Glass, Miami is 21st in points per 100 possessions, 21st in effective field goal percentage, 9th in turnover percentage, 24th in offensive rebounding percentage, and 7th in free throw rate.

The Heat still have plenty of talent though. Jimmy Butler is one of the most feared players this time of year and guys like Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro can make big differences, especially against this Hawks defense which ranks 28th in PPG allowed, 26th in field goal percentage allowed, and 28th in three-point percentage allowed. Per Cleaning the Glass, Atlanta is 26th in points allowed per 100 possessions and 28th in effective field goal percentage.

Viewing and Betting Information

Tip-off time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

Where to Watch: NBA League Pass, Bally Sports Southeast,

Spread and Over/Under: The Hawks will be underdogs at home tonight, as they are currently 3.5 point underdogs according to the latest odds from Caesars Sportsbook and the over/under is set at 220.5.

Predictions:

Miami is always a tough matchup for Atlanta, no matter where the game is played. Both teams need this game in hopes of improving their postseason outlook, but I think it is safe to say the Heat need it more. Miami wants to get out of the play-in tournament and avoid a potential first round matchup with the Celtics. This is a matchup where Atlanta could use Trae Young, but they won’t have him. I think it will be a close game, but Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo are the top two players on the floor. Heat win a close one.

Final Score: Miami 112, Atlanta 107 (Miami -3.5, Under)

Source link

Related Topics:Atlanta Hawks Featured Hawks vs Heat Hawks vs Heat Predictions Miami Heat NBA

Click to comment

Atlanta, GA

Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers Announce Starting Lineups For Tonight’s Game

Published

7 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers Announce Starting Lineups For Tonight’s Game

The Hawks would love to forget Friday’s embarrassing loss to the Detroit Pistons.

After an entertaining first quarter, Atlanta was dominated over the final three quarters and ended up losing by 27 points to the top team in the Eastern Conference. They are hoping for a quick bounce back today at home vs Philadelphia and will could use a win to get back on track.

The game is getting closer to tipoff and both teams have announced their starting lineups:

Hawks

G-Nickeil Alexander-Walker

G- Dyson Daniels

F- Zaccharie Risacher

F- Jalen Johnson

C- Onyeka Okongwu

76ers

G- Quentin Grimes

G- VJ Edgecombe

F- Paul George

F- Dominick Barlow

C- Joel Embiid

Deeper look at Atlanta

Dec 5, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) shoots against the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

When previewing the game this morning, our own Rohan Raman took a deeper look at the Hawks’ advanced numbers today:

“Atlanta’s offense has been surprisingly solid without Trae Young, but the Pistons game was a poor showing. The Hawks are 12th in points, 10th in FG%, 10th in 3P%, 17th in FT%, 25th in rebounds (24th in OREB, 22nd in DREB), 1st in assists, and 18th in turnovers per game. They’re 16th in offensive rating this year.

On a per-game basis, the Hawks’ defense rank 21st in points allowed, 18th in FG% allowed, 9th in 3P% allowed, 23rd in rebounds allowed, 4th in steals, and 12th in blocks. They’re 14th in defensive rating on the year, which puts them in a slightly above-average tier despite their recent run of poor performance on end.

Philadelphia is still figuring out how their offense operates when everyone is healthy, but Tyrese Maxey is always dangerous and they quietly have a reasonably deep roster. They’re 16th in points, 24th in FG%, 17th in 3P%, 6th in FT%, 9th in rebounds (10th in OREB, 9th in DREB), 20th in assists, and 11th in turnovers per game. They’re 15th in offensive rating this season.

After a difficult night against a tough Detroit defense, the matchup gets slightly easier against the 76ers. Even so, they’ve been playing good defense as of late – albeit against poor competition. They are 12th in points allowed, 8th in FG% allowed, 8th in 3P% allowed, 21st in rebounds allowed, 19th in steals, and 2nd in blocks. They’re 9th in defensive rating, so this would be the second straight game for the Hawks against a top-ten defense by defensive rating.”

Because they are at home and will have the best player on the floor, I like the Hawks to win this game. Quentin Grimes is someone who has given the Hawks trouble before, and rookie VJ Edgecombe has had a great start to his career. Still, I like Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu to lead the Hawks to a win today at home.

More Atlanta Hawks News:

Source link

Atlanta, GA

Philadelphia 76ers at Atlanta Hawks odds, picks and predictions

Published

19 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

Philadelphia 76ers at Atlanta Hawks odds, picks and predictions

The Philadelphia 76ers (14-10) and Atlanta Hawks (14-12) meet Sunday. Tip-off from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, is set for 6 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s NBA odds around the 76ers vs. Hawks odds and make our expert NBA picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: Hawks lead 1-0

The 76ers beat the Indiana Pacers 115-105 Friday, covering as 5-point home favorites with the Under (221) cashing. C Joel Embiid led the team with 39 points on 12-for-23 shooting. Philadelphia has found its rhythm, winning 4 of its last 5 games while going 3-2 against the spread (ATS). It is 14-9-1 ATS on the season.

The Hawks lost to the Detroit Pistons 142-115 on Friday, failing to cover as 7-point road underdogs as the Over (233) hit. G Nickeil Alexander-Walker led all scorers with 22 points and 4 made 3-pointers. Atlanta, after a 10-5 November, has gone just 1-4 in its last 5 games, covering 3 times in that stretch. It is 14-12 ATS on the season.

Watch the NBA on Fubo!

76ers at Hawks odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 9:54 a.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML): 76ers +155 (bet $100 to win $155) | Hawks -190 (bet $190 to win $100)
Against the spread: 76ers +4.5 (-105) | Hawks -4.5 (-115)
Over/Under (O/U): 226.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

76ers at Hawks key injuries

76ers

C Joel Embiid (knee) questionable
G Tyrese Maxey (illness) doubtful
G Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) out
F Trendon Watford (adductor) out

Hawks

G Nickeil Alexander-Walker (ankle) questionable
C Kristaps Porzingis (illness) out
G Trae Young (knee) out

For most recent updates: Official NBA injury report.

76ers at Hawks picks and predictions

Prediction

76ers 114, Hawks 111

BET 76ERS (+155).

The Hawks have fallen off a cliff, and their defense has gone with them. They are 1-4 over their last 5 outings and have allowed at least 123 points in 5 of their last 8 games. Their offense hasn’t matched that shortcoming, scoring 100 points or fewer in 2 of their last 5 contests.

The 76ers, on the other hand, are surging, and their defense has been much improved from earlier in the season. They have held 4 of their last 5 opponents to 105 points or fewer and haven’t given up more than 112 points in December (through 5 games). Philadelphia has won 3 straight on the road.

Take 76ERS (+155).

PASS.

The preferred option is the moneyline, thanks to the enhanced odds. The spread is also playable, particularly with the 76ers.

BET UNDER 226.5 (-110).

The 76ers have gone Under in 5 straight games, and while their defense has stepped up, they have scored 116 points or fewer in their last 4 contests. They are 11-13 O/U on the season.

The Hawks are 3-2 O/U in their last 5 games, largely due to their weak defense, which is less likely to be exploited given that the 76ers rank 20th in pace. Expect a slower-tempo game and take UNDER 226.5 (-110).

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook.

Access more NBA coverage:

Source link

Atlanta, GA

Starters Braves Have on Their Radar, Top Prospects in Play

Published

1 day ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

Starters Braves Have on Their Radar, Top Prospects in Play

The Atlanta Braves have locked down two free agents. One bolstered the bullpen while the other diversified their options on the offense. Now, from what we’re hearing, the attention has turned to fortifying the rotation.

We are gaining an idea of who the Braves are targeting on the starting pitching market. Framber Valdez and Michael King appear to be the top two free-agent options they’re taking a look at, per source. The goal would be to land one of the two. How far along any potential talks are or if they’re currently talking at all is unclear. We just know now that these two are preferred targets.

Previous reports said that the Mets and Giants had previously chatted with Valdez. King is on the radar of the Tigers and Cubs. There are contenders in play for these same guys.

Signing a free agent is their plan A for acquiring starting pitching depth. What we are hearing confirms the willingness to cough up a draft pick to make a big signing. Both have a qualifying offer attached to them.

That being said, they are willing to go out on the trade market if needed and in a specific circumstance. Plan B is to make a deal for Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta.

The 2025 All-Star has been rumored to be a trade candidate since the start of the offseason. What we are hearing lines up with previous speculation as to the type of moves the Braves could make. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden suggested the Braves make a move for Peralta, and part of that suggestion included a potential trade piece that would likely be dealt in this scenario.

The Brewers would likely want to make the centerpiece of the return the Braves’ No. 2 prospect, JR Ritchie. However, the Braves would likely prefer to hang onto Ritchie. They see him as a key piece of their future. They would likely prefer to make the centerpiece of the deal Hurston Waldrep, who showed significant promise once she was called up toward the end of last season.

Another player would likely be dealt along with one of the two names. The Braves would like to know whether an extension would be in play. They wouldn’t want to make the move for strictly a rental.

However, the Brewers want to get a trade done during the offseason. If he’s on the roster during the regular season, it would put them in a bind. They don’t see him as someone they’ll be able to keep around, but if they’re contending, they can’t trade him at the deadline. He would have to stick around for a push, and then he would walk.

Meanwhile, the Braves are pushing to have a top-five payroll in the league for next season. That puts them in the position to take on one of the two possible free-agent signings or take on a contract extension in a potential trade.