NBA Play-In Preview: Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets Prediction and Betting Preview
SportsMemo handicapper JM Sports gives his prediction on Wednesday’s Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets showdown on Wednesday, April 13. At the time of posting, the home Hawks have opened as an 4.5-point favorite over the road Clippers, with the total sitting at 236.5 points.
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Wednesday, April 13 | NBA Betting Notes |
---|---|
Point Spread: | Atlanta Hawks -4.5 vs Charlotte Hornets |
Total: | 236.5 Points |
Game Time: | 7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT |
Arena: | State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA |
TV: | ESPN |
Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets Preview
After Atlanta started the season 4-9, even the play-in games seems like a blessing to them. They had looked like they took three steps backwards to start the season, but things began to click, at least on their home court.
They ended the season 26-14 at home, while posting a sub-par record of 15-24 on the road, by far the worst out of the 20 playoff teams.
Unfortunately for them, a majority of their games are going to happen on the road, coming out of the play-in tournament doesn’t give them any opportunity to hold home court advantage against an opponent.
Regardless, this is the 10th time they have made the playoffs since 2010, 2nd to only Boston coming out of the East.
They made it to the 2nd round in five of their nine opportunities, including two trips to the Conference Finals including a trip last season, but they never made it beyond that point.
Their nine trips resulted in 92 playoff games, the 3rd most in the last 12 years out of all the teams in the East, but they won just 44.6% of their chances.
John Collins seems to be the big question marks when it comes to injuries, he has been out with a foot and finger issue and has yet to return to any running or agility to work yet, and a timetable has yet to be set for his return.
Hornets Used to Underdog Role
Charlotte is back in the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and for just the 4th time since 2010. Their 43-39 record puts them at the 10th and final spot currently for the play-in tournament with two games left.
Just as their record shows, they have been very balanced this year to say the least. They are 22-19 at home, and they almost broke even on the road, posting a record of 21-20.
While they find themselves at the bottom of the playoff bracket, meaning they should anticipate playing as an underdog for a bulk of the playoff run, although, Charlotte is actually one of the better teams in the East when playing as an underdog.
They have won over 41% of their games, making them one of four teams in the East to finish that high as an underdog, not to mention they definitely have more experience playing in games as an underdog than any other team in the playoffs outside of New Orleans.
The only injury concern for Charlotte is Gordon Hayward. His season could be in jeopardy, after his extended absence due to a foot issue, followed by a one game return, Gordon Hayward has now missed consecutive games again, hinting that some setback may have occurred in his return to the team.
Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets Prediction
These are two of the top six scoring teams in the NBA catapulting the over/under to 236.5. Defense always seems to clamp down during playoff time which is why we’re looking at under 236.5 to hit here.
This looks like a game with a final score landing around 115-110 which would give us over 10 points to spare when looking at the totals. Defense rules in the playoffs and we should see some glimpses of that Wednesday.
Prediction: Under 236.5
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Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets Notes from GoldSheet
NBA Stat Sheet
Each day, WagerTalk handicapper Ralph Michaels puts together his NBA Stat Sheet, which offers a head-to-head comparison for how teams are performing in a number of key areas heading into a game. Check out Wednesday’s sheet, with notes on tonight’s Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets contest.
NBA Tip-Off Show
Join Joe Raineri and a rotating panel of professional handicappers for the NBA Tip-Off Show every Monday-Friday at 4:15pm ET / 1:15pm PT as we discuss the NBA Playoffs. Stay up-to-date on the latest NBA news, stats, analysis, and predictions with our panel of pro sports bettors as they preview Wednesday’s NBA action, including this Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets clash.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4e8fqjbVO8[/embedyt]
NBA Odds Screen
Sportsmemo’s live odds screen features up-to-the-minute lines from a variety of offshore and domestic sports books. Track the NBA point spreads, moneylines, first half lines and betting percentages for all of Wednesday’s NBA games, including this Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets showdown, from your desktop or phone.
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