The Atlanta Hawks (20-45) look to snap their five-game road losing streak in a matchup against the Indiana Pacers (37-28) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The game can be seen on Fox Sports – Southeast at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, March 9, 2018.
The game’s Over/Under (O/U) has been set at 210 points with Indiana opening as an 8-point favorite.
Atlanta Hawks at Indiana Pacers Free Prediction
The Hawks are hoping for a better outcome after their 106-90 loss to the Toronto Raptors in their last game. Toronto’s turnover percentage was their largest strength over Atlanta. The Raptors had a rate of 10.5 (better than their season average of 11.5), while the Hawks posted a mark of 19.0 (above their season average of 13.7). Atlanta’s Dewayne Dedmon had a solid performance, recording 12 points and 10 rebounds.
In the Pacers’ last matchup, they lost big to the Utah Jazz, 104-84. Utah’s effective field goal percentage was their biggest advantage over Indiana. The Jazz had a rate of 0.581 (above their season average of 0.522), while the Pacers posted a mark of 0.403 (below their season average of 0.531). With 24 points on 10-for-14 shooting, Myles Turner was the top scorer from either team.
The high-powered offense of Indiana will face off against the mid-tier defense of Atlanta. The Pacers currently rank ninth in offensive efficiency, while the Hawks are 22nd in defensive efficiency. The Pacers should have the advantage on that end of the court.
Atlanta comes into the game with records of 20-45 straight up (SU) and 33-30-2 against the spread (ATS). Games featuring the Hawks have a slight tendency to finish under the total (52.3 percent).
Meanwhile, Indiana is 37-28 SU and 36-29 ATS. Vegas is known to place the total high when the Pacers are involved, as 37 of their 65 games have gone under the total.
Both teams have had a player step their game up over their last five games. Taurean Prince (18.0 points and 2.4 steals) has been fantastic for the Hawks while Bojan Bogdanovic (21.6 points) has contributed greatly to the Pacers.
The Pacers lead the season series against the Hawks two games to one, but dropped their most recent game, 107-102. Indiana covered as a 4-point favorite and the game finished with a total of 209 points, which was just 4.5 points below the projected point total of 213.5 points. The Hawks made 22 of their 27 free throws (81.5 percent) and had a much better offensive rebounding percentage (31.9 vs. 24.4). Despite the loss, Victor Oladipo had a standout performance in the game, putting up 22 points, six steals and five rebounds.
Atlanta Hawks at Indiana Pacers Free Pick
Pick: SU Winner – Pacers, ATS Winner – Hawks, O/U – Under
Notes
Betting Notes:
On the road, Atlanta is 15-14-2 ATS with 18 unders and 13 overs.
Indiana is 19-15 ATS at home with 19 unders, 14 overs and 1 push.
Atlanta is 9-4 when they hold opponents under 100 points, while Indiana is 22-2.
When reaching 100 points, the Pacers are 30-14 and the Hawks are 18-25.
Indiana ranks fourth in steals per game (8.6) while Atlanta ranks 27th in steals allowed per game (8.7).
The Pacers average 14.9 fast break points per game, which ranks third in the league. The Hawks rank 23rd in fast break points allowed per game (12.8).
Indiana averages 18.2 points off turnovers per game, which ranks fourth in the league. Atlanta ranks 23rd in points off turnovers allowed per game (17.6).
The Pacers rank 11th in assists allowed per game (22.8) while the Hawks rank last (25.9).
Atlanta ranks 10th in three pointers attempted per game (30.1) while Indiana ranks 26th (24.5).
The Pacers rank 13th in points in the paint per game (44.3) while the Hawks rank 26th (40.8).
Indiana ranks 19th in second chance points per game (11.9) while Atlanta ranks 24th in second chance points allowed per game (13.2).
The Hawks rank 21st in blocks per game (4.4) while the Pacers rank 25th (4.2).
Indiana ranks 22nd in rebounds per game (42.3) while Atlanta ranks 26th (41.1).
Bettings Trends:
In their last five games, Atlanta is 2-3 ATS with 3 unders, 1 over and 1 push.
Indiana is 3-2 ATS with 5 unders over their last five games.
The Hawks’ average margin of defeat in their last five games has been 6.8, up from 4.6 for the season.
During their last five games, the Pacers have scored an average of 95.8 points per game (10.2 below their season average) and allowed an average of 98.2 points per game (6.6 below their season average).
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