Connect with us

Atlanta, GA

Atlanta Hawks vs. Orlando Magic Prediction, Preview, and Odds – 1-7-2024

Published

on

Atlanta Hawks vs. Orlando Magic Prediction, Preview, and Odds – 1-7-2024


The Atlanta Hawks travel to Orlando on Sunday to take on the Magic in an Eastern Conference showdown. Both teams have struggled a bit as of late with each going 4-6 in their last ten games. The Hawks are just 14-20 on the season while the surprising Magic are 20-15 on the season. The opening tap is scheduled for 6:00 PM EST.

For your daily picks in Major League Baseball, College Football Picks, the NHL, NBA Picks, and all NFL action, check out all my premium picks with at least two per day. My Best Bet of the Week can be as low as $24.99 (usually $50) if you use this link. Take advantage of this as this comes with a profit guarantee. Win or get the money back in credit!

Sports betting promos include odds boosts, bonus bets, first bet insurance, and deposit match offers.

Hawks Having Trouble Taking Off

The Atlanta Hawks have struggled to a 14-20 mark up to this point, including six losses in their last ten games. Rumors are swirling that the team will be active at the trade deadline and they may be in for a major overhaul going forward. On Friday night, the Hawks were ambushed by the high-scoring Pacers on their way to a 150-116 blowout loss. The Hawks’ defense allowed the Pacers to shoot 64% from the field including 71% in the first half. Dejounte Murray led Atlanta with 30 points while his All-Star backcourt mate, Trae Young, was held to just 13 points on 4-of-18 shooting.

“Sometimes there are games where you didn’t play well and we didn’t,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “I don’t know we did anything at the level we need to win against these guys on the road. They’re obviously playing well and made it hard on us. We didn’t have it tonight.”

Advertisement

The Hawks come into Sunday’s action with the third-highest scoring offense in the NBA. The Hawks are 18th in field goal percentage thus far and 18th in 3-point shooting. They do rely heavily on the three-ball, ranked 7th in the NBA in 3-point field goals per game. On the defensive end, Atlanta is 28th in the NBA in points allowed per game. The Hawks are 30th in opponent’s shooting percentage and just 27th in 3-point defense. On the glass, Atlanta ranks 17th in the NBA in total rebounds per game. Despite the team’s stellar backcourt of Murray and Young, the Hawks are 17th in turnovers per game.

Key Injuries: SF De’Andre Hunter (knee) is out.

Want more picks for the NBA? Go here for more NBA Free Picks and get the best picks.

Magic Gone?

The Orlando Magic have been one of the surprise teams in the NBA thus far and still are very much in the playoff picture with a record of 20-15 as the NBA season nears the halfway point. They have struggled lately, however, and won just four of their last ten games. In their last game, the young Magic team picked up one of their signature wins of the season in a 122-120 win in Denver against the defending NBA Champion Nuggets. Paolo Banchero led the way with a pair of free throws to give the Magic the lead with under ten seconds to go. Banchero ended with his first career triple-double finishing with 32 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists as the Magic rallied back from a deficit as much as 18 points in the game.

Advertisement

“Just the power of just positive energy and just pushing each other,” said Banchero, who was 15 of 19 from the free throw line. “We just told each other, ‘We’re all we got. We’re going to live with the result, whatever it is, but we’re not just going to roll over and let these guys blow us out.’”

Orlando comes into this game ranked 20th in the NBA in scoring offense. The Magic are 16th in field goal percentage and just 27th in 3-point shooting. They aren’t nearly as reliant on the 3-point shot as the Hawks, ranked 28th in the NBA in 3-point field goals per game. Defensively, the Magic are 11th in defensive scoring. They are 17th in opponent’s shooting percentage and 11th in 3-point defense. The Magic are one of the better rebounding teams in the league, ranked 8th in total rebounds per game. The young team, not surprisingly, struggles to protect the basketball and ranks 25th in turnovers per game.

Key Injuries: PF Jonathan Isaac (hamstring), SG Joe Ingles (ankle), PG Markelle Fultz (knee),  SG Gary Harris (calf), SF Franz Wagner (ankle) are all out. C Wendell Carter Jr. (knee) is questionable.

 

Advertisement

Friday’s Top Plays

Today’s Top Plays 

Scott Steehn – 9-2 NFL Totals Run – Snag Scott’s NFL Saturday Night Special For Just $29 – CLICK HERE 

Arthur Reyes – 13-2-1 CBB Run – Grab Arthur’s Saturday CBB Best Bet For Just $29 – CLICK HERE 

Tom Macrina – 14-5 NFL Run – Snag Tom’s AFC South Game Of The Year For Just $29 – CLICK HERE

Will Rogers – 20-9 CBB Run – Grab Will CBB Total Of The Month For Just $40 – CLICK HERE

Advertisement

David Hess – 12-4 NBA Best Bet Run – Snatch up David’s NBA Totals Annihilator For Just $29 – CLICK HERE

Best Bets for this Game


Full-Game Side Bet

Insiders Status:

Advertisement

Rating:


One of the things that has made the Magic so difficult to play this season has been the team’s depth. On Sunday, however, the Magic will be down several key players including Franz Wagner, and that depth will be challenged. The Hawks come into this game following a humiliating loss to an Indiana team that plays a completely different style of basketball than the Magic. The Pacers play fast and shoot the 3-ball often. The Magic play at a middle-of-the-road pace and don’t rely on the 3-point field goal nearly as much. In addition, without the bench strength, particularly at guard, on Sunday, the Magic will have problems containing Murray and Young.

Take the Hawks -1.

Prediction: Atlanta -1

Advertisement

Full-Game Total Pick

Insiders Status:

Rating:


The Hawks will be able to play this game at their pace on Sunday with the Magic down several key players including three key frontcourt players that would otherwise help control the glass for Orlando. I expect the Hawks to be able to play at their pace, the fifth-fastest in the NBA, and get more than one chance at the rim on each possession against a depleted Magic team. Look for this game to be played fast and in the 120s.

Take the over.

Advertisement

Prediction: Over 239.5

Written By
Mark Ruelle , “Mark Ruelle”

Mark has been a sports fanatic since childhood. He is also an avid follower of sports analytics and has used it in his own betting analysis for over two decades. Now we have Mark on our team here at Stat Salt. He holds degrees in marketing, broadcasting, and English and uses this vast array of assets to dissect and analyze game matchups. Mark will provide you with a wide variety of statistics to consider and a strong opinion in each matchup that he covers. Please follow him daily for an up-to-the-minute analysis of all the important games.

Advertisement
Advertisement



Source link

Atlanta, GA

Midtown Atlanta sewer work to close part of 10th Street

Published

on

Midtown Atlanta sewer work to close part of 10th Street


Drivers in Midtown Atlanta should prepare for traffic changes this week as a new roadwork project begins along 10th Street.

What we know:

Advertisement

The Atlanta Department of Watershed Management said part of 10th Street will close starting Wednesday for sewer repairs.

The construction will impact the eastbound lane between Charles Allen Drive and Monroe Drive.

Officials said the repair project is expected to continue for about four weeks.

Advertisement

Crews will work overnight on weekdays from 5 p.m. until 5 a.m. Construction activity will continue around the clock on weekends until the project is complete.

What you can do:

Advertisement

Motorists traveling through Midtown are encouraged to plan ahead and expect delays in the area during the closure.

AtlantaNews



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Atlanta, GA

Three Biggest Questions Facing the Atlanta Hawks Following the NBA Draft Lottery Results

Published

on

Three Biggest Questions Facing the Atlanta Hawks Following the NBA Draft Lottery Results


The 2026 NBA Draft has come and gone, and while the results did not go the way that the Atlanta Hawks had hoped, landing at No. 8 overall, but they are still getting a top-eight pick in a deep draft when they are coming off a season in which they won 46 games and made the playoffs. Atlanta had hoped that having the most favorable selection from the Pelicans and Bucks would turn into a top-four pick, but they are going to get a chance to add to their young core with a high-level talent.

Now that the NBA Draft Lottery is over, what are some questions facing the Hawks?

1. Who could they take with the pick?

Advertisement

We will get into other scenarios later, but for this exercise, let’s just assume that the Hawks are going to stick at No. 8 and make a selection.

While the top four picks are likely going to be (in some order) AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson, the rest of the draft does not seem to be as certain.

There is a popular sentiment that the quarter of guards consisting of Keaton Wagler, Darius Acuff, Kingston Flemings, and Mikel Brown Jr are going to be picks 5-8, but that is not as much of a certainity as the top four.

The Clippers are picking 5th, but they just made a big trade for Darius Garland. Brooklyn just took four guards in last year’s draft, and the Kings are always a wild card, though of these teams, they have the biggest need at guard and don’t seem likely to veer from that.

Advertisement

In the NBA, needs is usually ignored in the draft and the best player available is taken most of the time, but it will be interesting to see which players the Clippers, Nets, and Kings decide on.

Advertisement

If those teams do take three of those guards, the Hawks would have their choice of whoever is left over from that group or players such as Michigan center Aday Mara, Arizona guard Brayden Burries, or Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg.

2. Could the Hawks move up or down in the draft?

While I think as of right now that the most likely scenario is that the Hawks stay put at No. 8, they do have some interesting options to potentially move up or down depending on how things fall.

Advertisement

As I mentioned earlier, the Clippers just traded for Darius Garland and if the Hawks wanted to get ahead of the Kings and Nets to land the guard of their choice, they could try and put together an attractive package to try and make a trade with Los Angeles.

Advertisement

The Nets seem less likely to move down, but after taking four guards in last year’s draft, could they move down and try to target another position?

What about a trade down? If the Hawks had been at No. 7 or in the top four, I would say a trade down is unlikely, but at No. 8, there could be an opportunity there for Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh. Would Oklahoma City be interested in moving No. 12 and No. 17 for No. 8? That would give the Hawks three first round picks and if they like a player that could be in that range, that would be a possibility, though all of this is just hypothetical at the moment.

Advertisement

3. Do the Hawks attempt to move the No. 8 pick for an established star?

Saleh has been adamnat that the team is not one player away and that the Hawks wanted to add through the draft, but even in a draft as deep as this one, the odds of getting a star player at No. 8 are long.

Advertisement

It is tough to really gauge the trade market for this offseason right now, but the No. 8 pick is an attractive asset. Could the Hawks try to trade for Celtics star Jaylen Brown? Again, it is tough to know who else could be available this summer and I would bet against the Hawks moving this pick for a veteran player, but never say never in the NBA.

Add us as a preferred source on Google



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Atlanta, GA

Braves News: Remembering Bobby Cox, strides from Spencer Strider, more

Published

on

Braves News: Remembering Bobby Cox, strides from Spencer Strider, more


On a sad day overall for Braves Country, due to the passing of the legendary Bobby Cox, Spencer Strider gave Atlanta fans something to be happy and hopeful about with a stellar outing, shutting down the Dodgers potent offense for 6.0 innings with 8 strikeouts and 15 whiffs. He looked as good as he has in a long time. His fastball averaged 96.4 MPH, with 17 inches of induced vertical break and he had four pitches working nicely together. Even if Strider doesn’t quite return to his Jacob deGrom levels of dominance, having him as a true #1 or #2 quality starter would make a huge difference for this Braves team to pair with Chris Sale. Bryce Elder has been great this season, but shouldn’t be the second best starter in the rotation of a World Series contender. If Strider can keep something like Saturday night’s version of himself moving forward, that’s a huge development for him and this team.



Source link

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending