Subscribe
Follow Us
The Atlanta Hawks travel to the Big Apple to face the Brooklyn Nets in a matchup between two high-scoring squads. It’s time to continue our NBA odds series and make a Hawks-Nets prediction and pick.
The Hawks remain undefeated at 3-0, coming off a victory over the Detroit Pistons. The Nets are in a little bit of a slide after starting the season 2-0, dropping their last two games against the Charlotte Hornets and Memphis Grizzlies.
Here’s how sportsbooks have set the opening odds.
NBA Odds: Hawks-Nets Odds
Atlanta Hawks +5.5 (-109)
Brooklyn Nets -5.5 (-111)
Over 239.5 PTS (-113)
Under 239.5 PTS (-107)
Why The Nets Could Cover The Spread
The Nets' two-game slide came as a shock to NBA bettors. The vaunted Brooklyn team lost in Charlotte to a team that hadn't won a single game. Brooklyn was an eight-point favorite.
Unfortunately, the Nets not only lost the game, as starter Spencer Dinwiddie went down with a torn ACL.
Irving and Durant sat against the Grizzlies, and a gritty Memphis team beat the Nets without three of their top players.
This Hawks matchup could be a blessing for Nets bettors.
The Hawks have blitzed opponents, dropping at least 120 points in all of their games. Now, they have to play a Brooklyn defense that has allowed the third least points in the league so far.
Atlanta has feasted against weak defenses (Chicago Bulls, Grizzlies, Pistons) so far. It's likely that the Nets' defense breaks their streak of 120+ point games tonight.
Even after losing Dinwiddie, the Nets should have plenty of firepower to keep the Hawks at bay. Irving and Durant return, and you can trust they'll be motivated to keep the team from losing three straight this early in the season.
Why The Hawks Could Cover The Spread
The Hawks have yet to lose a game, riding Trae Young's hot hand to three straight wins.
Young is leading Atlanta's potent offense, averaging 34 points and 7.3 assists per game to start the year.
The young Hawks have impressed early this season. Perhaps the most impressive facet of their game is their improvement defensively.
We knew Atlanta could score in bunches already, but they were a mess defensively last year, giving up the most points in the NBA in the 2019-20 season.
To start the 2020-21 campaign, they rank 17th overall in points allowed, with their best defensive performance coming in Chicago on opening night.
The addition of Clint Capela gives the Hawks some badly needed interior backup, and he is expected to play his second game tonight after missing the first two matchups.
The key for the Hawks here will be on the defensive end. If Atlanta can keep Irving from going nuclear, we could be in store for a close one.
Final Hawks-Nets Prediction & Pick
In the Hawks' first true test of the season, I predict they'll fall short. Atlanta is running into a buzzsaw of a hungry Nets team with both of its key scorers back. This Hawks defense hasn't shown me enough to believe they'll be able to contain one star scorer, much less two. I think Brooklyn gets plenty of buckets tonight to hand the Hawks their first loss and cover easily.
FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: BKN 129, ATL 115
