We're back with another installment of our NBA odds and pick series. For this game, we'll be treated to a close matchup in the Eastern Conference between the Indiana Pacers (33-41) and the Atlanta Hawks (36-37). Check out our NBA odds series for our Pacers-Hawks prediction and pick.
The Indiana Pacers are 11th in the Eastern Conference and are 2.5 games back of the Chicago Bulls and the last play-in spot for the playoffs. A different team when their young players are on the court, the Pacers will try to get healthy before the season end and make one final push for the tournament.
The Atlanta Hawks are currently eighth in the Eastern Conference and are desperately trying to string wins together and secure their spot for the playoffs. The final stretch of the season has been inconsistent for them, so look for the Hawks to take advantage of this big spot as the heavy favorites.
Here are the Pacers-Hawks NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA Odds: Pacers-Hawks Odds
Indiana Pacers: +9 (-110)
Atlanta Hawks: -9 (-110)
Over: 242 (-110)
Under: 242 (-110)
How To Watch Pacers vs. Hawks
TV: Bally Sports Southeast
Stream: fuboTV, NBA League Pass
Time: 5:00 p.m. ET/ 2:00 p.m. PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Pacers Could Cover The Spread
The Pacers' last win came against the Raptors in which they managed a good percentage from three and from the field. They were able to get it done without their leader, Tyrese Haliburton, in the lineup and saw a balanced scoring attack from their starting five. Most recently, the Pacers lost their last game to the Celtics by 25 points in Haliburton's return from injury. They're a much better team with Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin on the floor, but it could take some time for them to get acclimated after injury.
For the Pacers to win this game, they'll have to rely on their defense to cause turnovers for a Hawks squad that's often careless with the ball. If they can continue their balanced attack and get a boost from Haliburton in the assist department, they should be able to cover this wide spread on the road. Look for the Pacers to lock in on defense and make this a low-scoring game.
Why The Hawks Could Cover The Spread
The Atlanta Hawks will need some important wins down the stretch to hang onto their playoff spot. Trae Young is ‘questionable' for this contest as he's coming off a 29-point performance in their last game with the Timberwolves. The Hawks' defense couldn't keep up with the bigs of Minnesota and managed to give up 125 points en route to a loss. They'll have to tighten their defensive efforts against the Pacers if they want to have a chance against their versatile scoring.
At home, the Hawks are 16-18 ATS and have gone 20-15 SU. They've enjoyed home court more this year, but will hope Trae Young can suit up here if they want to cover such a wide spread. It's important to note that Atlanta's game totals have been flying over lately. If they're careless in getting back in transition, this could be another high-scoring affair.
Final Pacers-Hawks Prediction & Pick
While the spread is wide, this will likely be a close game with a lot of scoring if neither defense can find stops on their end of the floor. Both offenses have a chance to produce big scoring numbers, which is why the total is set so high. The winner of this game will be the team who can come up with the bigger defensive stops in the closing minutes of the game. I believe Indiana will play harder on defense – let's take them to cover this spread as the away team.
Final Pacers-Hawks Prediction & Pick: Indiana Pacers +9 (-110)
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