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NBA action continues to roll on as we bring you another prediction and pick for Monday's slate of games. We see a matchup of young talent as the Atlanta Hawks (4-2) visit the Oklahoma City Thunder (3-3) with both teams on opposite streaks. Check out our NBA odds series for our Hawks-Thunder prediction and pick.
The Atlanta Hawks are first in their division after reeling off four consecutive wins heading into this contest. They've also tallied more than 120 points in five of their first six games, making them one of the best offenses in the league. Led by Trae Young, they'll look towards another possible shootout against the young guns of OKC.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are even through six games so far, but they're coming into this one on back-to-back losses. They dropped a tough loss to the Pelicans at home and came back with a gut-wrenching 139-141 loss to the Golden State Warriors. Still, this Thunder team is still insanely young and they're clearly gearing up to be dominant for the next few years.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Hawks-Thunder Odds
Atlanta Hawks: -1.5 (-110)
Oklahoma City Thunder: +1.5 (-110)
Over: 241 (-110)
Under: 241 (-110)
How to Watch Hawks vs. Thunder
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT
TV: Bally Sports Southeast, Bally Sports Southwest, NBA League Pass
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
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Why The Hawks Could Cover The Spread
After dropping their first two game, the Atlanta Hawks are firing on all cylinders and are the league's highest scoring offense to start the season. With Trae Young averaging only 21.7 points, his teammate Dejounte Murray has stepped up in a massive way and is cementing himself as a dangerous slashing scorer. The two guards complement each other extremely well with Young's ability to shoot and Murray's ability to carve through the defense. Clint Capela has been a massive presence for them inside and leads the team in rebounds and blocks.
While the Hawks are young themselves, they'll actually be veterans compared to this Thunder team. Trae Young and Dejounte Murray could have an advantageous matchup if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to sit out. They're slightly undersized down low, so it'll be vital for the Hawks to stand tall and not let Chet Holmgren get any easy baskets inside. Their defense has been surprisingly good up to this point, but expect the tempo to turn up quickly in this one.
Why The Thunder Could Cover The Spread
Even though the Thunder weren't able to get the win against the Warriors in their last outing, they arguably played their best game of the season as their young roster stood toe-to-toe with a greats of Golden State. Without their floor general in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, players like Josh Giddey are having to step up and carry the load with the ball in their hands. In the fourth quarter, Giddey attacked the rim relentlessly and was able to keep the Thunder in the high-scoring affair. Chet Holmgren is also coming along as a sure-scorer and he continues to add new wrinkles to his scoring with each passing game.
The Thunder will have a big advantage with Holmgren in the middle, so he should look to work the ball inside and get himself to the free-throw line. The Hawks have also struggled with turnovers this season, so the Thunder would greatly benefit from pushing the pace and trying to beat the Hawks' defense in transition. Shai is still questionable ahead of this one, but he'd give them a slight advantage if he's able to suit up.
Final Hawks-Thunder Prediction & Pick
This game is going to be extremely fun with how potent both of these offenses are and with the total set over 240, oddsmakers are expecting both teams to have a hot shooting night. The defense has lacked for both sides, but we can safely say the Atlanta Hawks have been the more consistent team on both ends of the floor. Still, Chet Holmgren poses a huge mismatch for their lineup and their success will hinge on containing him early.
With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander questionable ahead of this one, we'd have to side with the Atlanta Hawks and the current mini-run they're on. Over the last five games, they've scored 120+ points and should be able to reach that total here tonight. I expect the Thunder to have a similar game plan and try to score the ball at-will to keep up with the Hawks. For our prediction, let's take a chance on the over as we see both offenses show us what they're capable of.
Final Hawks-Thunder Prediction & Pick: OVER 241 (-110)
