NBA: Atlanta Hawks vs LA Clippers Preview, Odds, Prediction

The Atlanta Hawks are superb right now, and their appetites became bigger, which is why nobody is safe once meeting the youngsters from Georgia. Even the Los Angeles Clippers. Since Nate McMillan took over the Hawks, they are unbeaten, which saw them rising to No.5 in the Eastern Conference. Right now, the Hawks have eight consecutive victories, and are on fire. On the other side, the Clippers have mixed success since the All-Star break ended, which is something they didn’t hope for. Instead of shifting into a higher gear with the most important part of the season starting, Tyronn Lue’s side struggles.

Preview

Atlanta Hawks (22-20, +200) have one hell of a ride at the moment, with them being unstoppable and arguably in the best shape in the entire NBA. Head coach McMillan brought positive energy and experience inside the locker room, and the team responded well. On top of everything, the Hawks finally have all the players at their disposal, which was rare since the campaign began.

In the latest game, Atlanta defeated the shorthanded Lakers who, besides Anthony Davis, left without LeBron James after Solomon Hill fell on his ankle. Yet that can’t diminish their performance, especially the one John Collins had. The fantastic power forward had 27 points and 16 boards, shooting 11-for-15 from the field, with three steals and blocks each. Capela added 16 boards, too, while Trae Young had 14 dimes and 11 assists, without a single three in seven tries.

Danilo Gallinari and Bogdan Bogdanovic combined for 28 points off the bench, and the two are bringing a lot of quality once on the court, which might be one of the reasons why Atlanta began playing well recently.

Los Angeles Clippers (27-16, -250) have three losses and two defeats since the All-Star ended. Wins came against the Warriors, the Mavs, and the Hornets on Saturday night, while Pelicans and Mavs beat the title contenders, with both games being on the road for LAC.

Against Charlotte, we had the opportunity to see the Clippers look like with both Kawhi and George in the mood n both ends of the floor. Leonard dunked with authority a couple of times, the same as PG, setting the tone of the game early on.

PG had 21 points and 10 assists while Leonard scored 17 buckets, allowing other players to have some fun. Terance Mann added 16 points, Lou Williams 15, and Marcus Morris Sr. 13.

Head to Head Games

The Hawks won the first game of the season in Atlanta on January 26. The final result was 108-99, with Trae Young delivering 38 buckets on the Clippers’ shorthanded defense. Neither George nor Kawhi played for the LAC. Reggie Jackson was the best scorer among the guests with 20 points.

Prediction

The spread on the Clippers is -6.5, and from our perception, we would go with their win with covering that gap. It is time for the Hawks’ streak to come to an end and for them to have a reality check. Meanwhile, LAC should start winning in series if they want to go up in the standings and try to chase the Suns and the Jazz. So, for us, it is Clippers with the spread.

 

Here is one more preview for tonight’s NBA games – Indiana Pacers vs. Milwaukee Bucks