Atlanta is on the road to face the Nets in a game that promises to be a lot of fun. The Hawks made it to the conference finals a year ago, while the Nets fell short to the eventual champion Bucks the round prior to that. Each team has plenty of star power now, so this is a game that is absolutely a must-watch.
Atlanta is 4-3 to open the year, with some tough games already under their belts. This is the first time in nearly 6-7 years that the season now has real expectations, but there is not another way that Trae Young would like it to be. As we learned last year, he thrives under pressure and wants all of it on the Hawks, who hope to surprise even more this year with a title.
As for Brooklyn, they are, of course, without Kyrie Irving indefinitely due to the vaccination requirement for NY athletes. They do still have James Harden and Kevin Durant, so there is not much to complain about. As long as they can stay healthy and on the court, they will be very formidable. When only one of them can play, it’s not easy to keep it going. Last year was a different story.
Time to look at the odds for this exciting matchup.
Betting Odds & Lines
The spread for the game is set at BKN -5. The over/under is 218.5 points. The ATL line is +170, while BK is -210.
Hawks Aiming for Fifth Win
Going against the Nets is never easy, but it’s a great challenge. The Hawks know what they have in their roster after their surprise trip to round three last year. They got within two wins of the NBA Finals after starting the season with a poor 14-20 record and making a coaching change.
Trae makes it all go, but there is talent all-around them. Bogdan Bogdanovic, John Collins, De’Andre Hunter, and Clint Capela fill out the starting unit. And the bench features veterans along with Kevin Huerter and Cam Reddish, who is still hoping to have a defined role. Both of those guys have thrived early on.
There is no weak link on ATL’s squad, so let’s see if they can upend the home team.
Nets Aiming for Another Win
Also, at 4-3 this season, this is not quite what the Nets imagined. They did finally go away from the two-big lineup that they had been using to begin the season. It is a talented squad for them, and they have to be a little more creative with lineups.
After some early-season low-minute totals, Bruce Brown is back in the starting unit. LaMarcus Aldridge has been a solid bench piece. And it looks like the Patty Mills signing is going to pay more dividends than the team could have imagined. He is a real candidate for the sixth man of the year.
Look for KD and Harden to try and put their fingerprints on this one early.
Hawks Cover
The game will be close, and the Hawks will be able to cover as five-point underdogs.
Betting Picks:
- ATL +5
- Over 218.5
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