NBA Play-In: Atlanta Hawks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers Preview, Odds, Predictions

The clash between the Atlanta Hawks and the Cleveland Cavaliers will take place in Ohio. These two sides clash in the match that decides the last passenger to the East playoffs, and the rival of the Miami Heat in the first round. The Hawks reached here following a win over the Hornets, while the Cavaliers lost in Brooklyn to the Nets. These two teams met four times this year, and know one another very well. That’s why we expect to see fireworks in Cleveland on Friday night.

Preview

Atlanta Hawks (-145) trashed the Hornets on Wednesday night, 132-103. It was the second game in a row in which the Hawks dropped 130 or more points. Their full offensive display had emerged against the Hornets, and to be honest, there wasn’t a better moment for doing so.

Trae Young had 24 points and 11 boards, though, his shooting percentages weren’t that high, 8-for-24, with only one made three in seven tries. De’ Andre Hunter had 22 points and seven boards, while Danilo Gallinari added 18 buckets.

Clint Capela was excellent under both rims having a strong double-double scoring 15 points and grabbing 17 boards with three blocks and two steals. He was the main reason for Atlanta’s dominance in the air, as the hosts outrebounded the rivals 54-41.

Cleveland Cavaliers (+120) lost the fourth in the past five games two nights ago in Brooklyn. The Nets were better 115-108, snatching the seventh seed and a battle against the Celtics in the first round. We believe that the Cavs experienced a big blow to their morale, as they hoped to keep the direct playoff spot until the end of the regular part of the campaign.

Though, we need to add that Cleveland gave its best shot in Brooklyn but simply wasn’t good enough to take down the hosts. Fantastic Darius Garland had 34 points, with five assists, but apart from Evan Mobley, who added 19 with seven boards, there weren’t any other Cavs players who could resist the Nets.

Kevin Love was solid off the bench with 14 points and 13 boards, while Lauri Markannen ended the night with 13 rebounds. The main problem for the Cavs in this game was the fact that they opened the game slow, losing the first period 40-20.

Head to Head Games

The Hawks won the past three games against the Cavaliers, while on the other side, the franchise from Ohio won only the opening meeting of the season. Also, in all three of Atlanta’s victories, Nate McMillan’s boys scored at least 121 points, meaning that they used the offense to crush the rivals.

Prediction

Our money here is on the Hawks, because they are in better shape than the Cavaliers at the moment. Apparently, Cleveland experienced a drop in performances over the past couple of weeks, which is the worst possible moment for such development. Opposite to them, the Hawks look better and better, and even though they play on the road, our guts tell us to bet on them. The odds are set at -145, and we will go after them.

Pick: Hawks Win -145