NBA Picks: The Cleveland Cavaliers host the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night. The Cavs are home favorites against an Atlanta team that will be playing their third game in four nights and with no rest since they played on Friday at home against Miami. The only positive for the Hawks is that they have won eight of the last 10 in this series. Let’s look at Saturday’s contest and NBA predictions.
Weary Hawks
Atlanta will be playing their third game in four days as they were home against Miami on Friday and home against Utah on Wednesday. The team has had a ridiculous schedule in the past week and a half as this will be their seventh game in the last 11 days. The team is 2-2 ATS in road games this season with two games going over and two going under. The team is averaging just over 101 points per game and allowing just under 100 per contest.
Still a Process for the Cavaliers
Head coach David Blatt has had to install his system and get players to buy into it and its taking time. The pressure has been on Blatt to deliver immediately but LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving have not played together in the past and it is taking time for everyone to get comfortable. “It’s a process, even for me,” James said. “We’re trying to build something here. We’re trying to build a winning franchise [with] a winning attitude in the locker room every day. We want to build it from the ground up [so] everyone feels like they are part of something special.” The Cavs have only played two home games so far this season and they are 1-1 ATS. The team is averaging about 102 points per game but they are giving up about 103 points per game.
Series Notes
The Hawks have won eight of the last 10 in this series but you have to remember that all of those wins came when LeBron was in Miami. The Hawks have won the last four in the series with three of the last four going over the total. The teams have split their last ten games in Cleveland with three of the last four going over the NBA betting total.
NBA Predictions
The situation heavily favors the Cavaliers on Saturday as they are playing at home, they are rested and the Hawks are playing with no rest and in a 3-in-4 situation. We’ll look for Cleveland to win this game and for it to go over the total.
