The Atlanta Hawks are ready to beat the Charlotte Hornets and the NBA odds this Wednesday in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.
Charlotte Hornets vs. Atlanta Hawks
Wednesday, April 13, 2022 – 07:00 PM EDT at State Farm Arena
The Atlanta Hawks were one of the biggest stories of the 2021 NBA playoffs. They upset the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round, then they almost did the same to the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Unfortunately for Atlanta, Trae Young suffered a bruised right foot in the middle of that series, and the Hawks fell in six games to the eventual champions.
Bigger things – or at least another deep run in the playoffs – were expected for the Hawks this year. Instead, they had to settle for ninth place in the East and a date with the No. 10 Charlotte Hornets, who come into Wednesday’s play-in matchup as 4.5-point underdogs on the NBA odds board at Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review). The Hornets finished the regular season with the same 43-39 record as Atlanta, but they’ll need more than 4.5 points if we’re going to pick them to cover.
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Lukewarmlanta
Not everyone agrees. The consensus reports at press time show an even 50/50 split in the number of wagers for Wednesday’s game; however, the Hornets (45-35-2 ATS) have moved to +5 at some online sportsbooks, including BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review). And there’s a good chance the NBA lines will move even further before tip-off as the betting public lays
Five points still
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The Game’s A Foot
The profit margins may be small, but the Hawks are still the right choice for your NBA picks. They posted a plus-1.5 point margin during the regular season, better than Charlotte’s plus-0.4. Atlanta are also the healthier team of the two; Gordon Hayward, whose play this year fell to league-average because of injuries, is out again for the Hornets with a sore left foot.
The Hawks, meanwhile, might have John Collins back in uniform this Wednesday. Collins has missed the last month of action with plantar fasciitis in his right foot, but there’s a non-zero chance he’ll suit up against Charlotte. If he doesn’t, Danilo Gallinari is healthy and ready for active duty at the 4-spot. Losing “Sweet” Lou Williams to a lower back injury (he’s listed as doubtful) also opens up bench minutes for Delon Wright, who’s easily the better choice to back up Young at this point in their careers. Bet accordingly, and may the sphere be with you.
Final Score Prediction: Hornets 115, Hawks 121
NBA Pick: Hawks -4.5 (-108) at Heritage Sports (visit our Heritage Sports Review)
*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.
