The Atlanta Hawks head back to South Beach tonight for a do or die Game 5 Matchup against the Miami Heat. After Trae Young and the Hawks were able to sneak away a win in Game 3 in the final seconds, the Heat bounced back in a big way with a dominant 110-86 victory in Game 4. The Heat look to advance to the next round on their home floor tonight, while the Hawks hope to steal a game on the road to take the series back to Atlanta
Game 5 tips off tonight at American Airlines Arenas in Miami at 7pm ET on TNT.
Injuries:
Kyle Lowry remains out for Miami tonight with a hamstring Injury, while Clint Capela and Bogdan Bogdanovic are questionable for Atlanta
The Betting Angles:
Tonight’s line has the Heat at -7.5 and -320 to win, while the the Hawks at +7.5 and +250 to win outright. The Atlanta Hawks are 10-41 ATS in road games when they are a 3.5 to 9.5 point underdog in the last 3 seasons.
Why Miami can win and cover -7.5:
Miami has covered in their past five home games. The Heat are arguably the deepest team in the NBA Playoffs. Miami finished number one in the East for a reason, as they play a fantastic brand of team basketball. Jimmy Butler shines in the big moments, and he’ll certainly be looking to lead his team to a series clinching victory tonight. Miami’s defense has also been an extreme nuisance for Trae Young, who was held to just nine points in Game 4. Miami is also loaded with three point shooters led by Tyler Herro, Duncan Robinson, and Max Strus. The Heat are a much better team than the Hawks, and even without one of their leaders in Kyle Lowry, the Heat could be set to advance to the next round.
Why Atlanta can win and cover +7.5:
The Hawks are 6-1 against the spread in their last seven games after losing straight up. Trae Young has proven himself to be one of the most electrifying, clutch scorers in the game today. While he has been shut down for the most part in this series, the return of Clint Capela to the lineup could open up some more playmaking opportunities for him as he drives to the basket. Atlanta has shooting weapons in Bogdanoivc and Huerter, and if they can outshoot Miami from beyond the arc tonight they’ll have a good chance of sneaking away with this win.
The Pick: Take Miami -7.5
The Heat have proven themselves to be the much better team all around. This is a true 1 vs 8 seed matchup, and the Hawks were lucky enough to escape with a win in game three. Miami has the depth and versatility to switch matchups to harass Trae Young, and their offense can come from several players. Expect the Heat to win big tonight on their home floor, as they’ll punch their ticket into the next round.
