No two teams show the difference in the Eastern and Western conferences more than the Atlanta Hawks and Phoenix Suns. Both teams are in similar play-in seeding battles but have strikingly different records. The Hawks are in tenth place in the conference with a 30-38 record, 4.5 games up on the Brooklyn Nets. The Suns are also in a battle to get into the play-in but have a much better 39-29 record. The Eastern Conference is quite top-heavy, while the Western Conference playoffs promise to be one of the most competitive postseason battles we've seen in a long time. It is time to continue our NBA odds series with a Hawks-Suns prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
The Hawks have dominated the head-to-head matchup between these teams, winning four in a row and seven of the last ten. Atlanta has been the underdog in three of those four wins. The Hawks already handed Phoenix a loss this season, but the Suns now could return the favor on home court. The Hawks are beginning to let Brooklyn back into the playoff race, losing four of their last five games.
The Suns are in a similar spot to the Hawks, losing three of their last five games and soon having to accept their fate of being in the play-in. They will likely need to chase down the Mavericks (0.5 games behind them currently) to get a guaranteed playoff spot, but Dallas is on a roll and could start widening the gap.
Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
NBA Odds: Hawks-Suns Odds
Atlanta Hawks: +9.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +330
Phoenix Suns: -9.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -420
Over: 226 (-110)
Under: 226 (-110)
How to Watch Hawks vs. Suns
Time: 10:30 PM ET/7:30 PM PT
TV: Bally Sports, Arizona's Family Sports
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Hawks Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Suns may be one of the league's most disappointing teams. They were supposed to be a contender for the Larry O'Brien Trophy with Kevin Durant's newest iteration of the Big Three. However, the Suns have been underachievers. They've managed a 38-29 record, but are 26-40-2 against the spread. In sticking with that theme, they are 5-5 over the last ten games, but just 2-8 against the spread. Everyone expects Phoenix to perform better than they are, but they are just squeaking out victories heading into the playoffs. They've been favorites in five of those games, and have covered the spread in only one.
Atlanta's offense has been good and matches up well against the Suns. The Hawks average 108.4 points per game over the last five, which is good enough for 17th in the league. Phoenix is struggling at the defensive end, allowing 118.2 points per game.
Why The Suns Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Suns' losses against the spread at the end of February to the Houston Rockets were a bit concerning, but the rest have been against some of the league's best teams. Despite their inability to cover, Phoenix has been among the best offenses. They are eighth in scoring offense over their last five games, averaging 114.4 points per game. Atlanta has had their issues at the defensive end, allowing 115.0.
Final Hawks-Suns Prediction & Pick
The Phoenix Suns are among the most disappointing teams, making them difficult to trust. This feels like a game that the Suns should take care of business and get the win/cover. However, they've covered just two games in their last ten, and haven't done it convincingly, covering by 1.5 and 0.5 points. A couple of field goals missed or made on either side could have been the difference in Phoenix being 0-10 against the spread over their last ten games. Take the Hawks, another disappointing team against the spread, to keep this one close.
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Final Hawks-Suns Prediction & Pick: Hawks +9.5 (-110)
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