The Atlanta Hawks and the Indiana Pacers collide at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday night. Here’s a Pacers vs Hawks Prediction. This article will include a Pacers vs Hawks Pick.
Atlanta Hawks Betting Preview
The Atlanta Hawks have dropped three of their first games but they will be feeling much better after sneaking past the Nets in a 117-112 road win on Wednesday. Jalen Johnson led the team in scoring with 23 points, seven rebounds and five assists, Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 18 points, Luke Kennard scored 17 points while Kristaps Porzingis chipped in with 14 points.
As a team, the Hawks shot 47 percent from the field and 13 of 33 from the 3-point line as they jumped all over the Nets early on to take an 11-point lead into halftime. Before they went on another run to push the lead out to 17 points in the third quarter. Trae Young had a night to forget as he scored six points before leaving the game with a knee injury in the first quarter.
Indiana Pacers Betting Preview
Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers are still searching for their first win of the season after four games and they might still be hurting from their 107-105 loss to the Mavericks on Wednesday. Pascal Siakam led the team in scoring with 27 points, 13 rebounds and three assists, Jarace Walker added 20 points with six rebounds and five assists while RayJ Dennis chipped in with 17 points and five assists off the bench.
As a team, the Pacers shot just 34 percent from the field and 13 of 45 from the 3-point line as they wasted an early 14-point lead. They worked hard to cut a 12-point deficit to just two points before Aaron Nesmith missed the potential game winner at the buzzer. Aaron Nemsmith had a rough night as he shot just two of 16 from the field to finish with just five points.
Why the Indiana Pacers will win
- The Pacers have won each of their last 14 games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse against teams that held a losing record.
- The Hawks have lost each of their last three games as road favorites against Central Division opponents.
- The Pacers have covered the spread in each of their last seven games following a road loss.
- The Hawks have failed to cover the spread in six of their last seven games.
Why the Atlanta Hawks will win
- The Hawks have won each of their last 12 games as favorites against Eastern Conference opponents following a win.
- The Pacers have lost seven of their last eight games.
- The Pacers have failed to cover the spread in each of their last six games on the first leg of a back-to-back.
- The Hawks have covered the spread in eight of their last 10 games against Pacers teams that held a losing record.
Total Points Facts
- Each of the Hawks’ last six games as favorites against opponents who are on the first leg of a back-to-back have gone OVER the total points line.
- Nine of the Pacers’ last 10 home games against the Hawks following a road loss have gone OVER the total points line.
Indiana Pacers Player Facts
- Pascal Siakam is one of only two qualified players in the league averaging at least 25.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists this season.
- Ben Sheppard ranks T6th amongst qualified Guards for rebounds per game (6.8) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Pacers rank 30th in the league for steals per game this season (5.8).
- The Pacers rank 30th in the league for free throw percentage this season (70.3%).
- The Hawks rank 30th in the league for Q3 opponent points per game this season (36.4).
- The Hawks rank T2nd in the league for Q4 win percentage this season (80.0%).
Pacers vs Hawks Prediction
The Hawks are going to be shorthanded for this one with Trae Young already ruled out, while the Pacers are still missing Bennedict Mathurin, TJ McConnell, Tyrese Haloburton and Obi Toppin. The Hawks have struggled to get going this season and they were far from convincing in their narrow win over the ice-cold Nets on Wednesday. You could say the same about the Pacers, who have yet to win their first game.
The Hawks will have a different look with Young on the sidelines, but that only evens the game out a bit for this depleted Pacers team who almost took down the Mavericks in their last game. You couldn’t back either side with any confidence these days, but I still think there is more to like about these Pacers, and I think they are a value bet as the home underdog in this matchup.