Hawks vs. Heat NBA Playoffs Game 5 Preview and Pick (Archive)
The Atlanta Hawks take the court in Miami against the Heat with their season on the line. Facing a 3-1 deficit, can their Hawks stay alive and be the winning NBA pick?
Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat
Tuesday, April 26, 2022 – 07:00 PM EDT at FTX Arena
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are discovering the perils of taking the regular season too lightly. You end up in the 8th seed and facing one of the toughest teams in the NBA. The Hawks are down 3-1 to the Heat after a 110-86 loss at home.
The Hawks had to fight valiantly to gain momentum and positivity with a 111-110 win in Atlanta in Game 3. In that game, Trae Young got to the paint with the game on the line and hit a floater with a touch as soft as a baby's skin for the game-winning basket.
It was a beautiful shot that reminded everybody of why Trae Young is so fun to watch. However, the Hawks' hopes and positive momentum were dashed by Miami's thorough dismantling of Atlanta in Game 4.
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Now, the Atlanta Hawks face a tough task. They are 16-25 on the road this year, one of the worst road records for a playoff team in the league. Tonight they face a Miami team who was excellent during the regular season at home going 29-12, and of course, winning the first two home games against the Hawks.
Atlanta has backed itself into a corner and are facing a tough task, but if anybody can overcome a steep deficit, it is the offensively explosive Hawks.
Miami Heat
Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat is displaying his superstar caliber form so far in the playoffs this year. Butler has raised his game from his level of play in the regular season and is averaging 30.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game against Atlanta in this series.
Butler had 36 points in Game 4. With Kyle Lowry missing Game 4 with injury, Butler took on more of the playmaking responsibilities. Lowry is questionable for tonight's game, but with the way Butler played, it might be wiser to rest Lowry for the next round.
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Max Strus had excellent contributions to that series. After being moved into the starting lineup for his defensive capabilities, Strus has averaged 13.8 points in just 28 minutes per game.
Strus' ability to score while providing excellent defense helps the Heat in that he is not someone opponents can ignore offensively, as is the case with some defensive specialists. Strus’ play here in the playoffs is a showcase as to why he is a valuable player on a true championship contender.
Key Matchup
Jimmy Butler vs. De'Andre Hunter
The Hawks have to find some way to stop Jimmy Butler. Their best chance is a defensive standout, De'Andre Hunter. Hunter is the Hawks' best perimeter defender and will be tasked with trying to guard him.
Atlanta switches often, but they might need to consider having Hunter try to run through the screens rather than let Butler hunt mismatches.
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If the Hawks can successfully avoid the switch against Butler, it gives Hunter a great chance to try and slow down the heart of the Miami team. If Hunter and the Hawks can find a way to keep Jimmy Butler locked up, they could steal Game 5. If Jimmy Butler has a big night, the Hawks' season will be over.
Best Bet
I like the Miami Heat to finish the series here tonight in a decisive fashion with the current NBA odds. The Heat have shown a lot of the flaws in this Hawks team. Trae Young is such a weakness on defense he sets back the Hawks' defensive schemes too far to be competitive. The Hawks lack a secondary creator.
Bogdan Bogdanovic does a good job creating quality shots for himself, but the Hawks' offense is quite too reliant on Trae Young. John Collins hasn't been a hundred percent healthy in this series and his defense has suffered in this series. Danilo Gallinari is a one-way player that can only play offense.
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Onyeka Okongwu has done a great job trying to fill in for Clint Capela but he's still not experienced enough to be a rim protector on a playoff-caliber defense.
The Heat have been dominant in the paint all series, and they continued by outscoring the Hawks 47-26 in their during Game 4. Overall, the Hawks have a lot to build on but they're not ready to truly compete. The best bet for tonight's game is the Miami Heat - 7.
NBA Pick: Heat -7 (-108) at Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.