Recent Play Details

3% Take Atlanta (#558)

Let me start with an excerpt from my last pro-Hawks write-up, a win and cover at Dallas earlier this week. Numbers have been adjusted slightly to reflect current realities: 

“Atlanta is showing real ‘bet-on’ signs for the first time all season, finally above .500 and primed to improve on that mediocrity.  Head coach Nate McMillan called their last road trip their ‘best of the season’ and they followed that up with a wire-2-wire victory over their playoff nemesis Miami on Monday and a hard fought win at Dallas on Wednesday.  Center Clint Capela is back in the lineup, leaving Atlanta at full strength right now. Capela after the win vs Miami: “Definitely going to build on this.  We just have to keep building on this and playing the game the right way, which is going to give us a chance to stack up (wins).”  Backcourt stud Dejounte Murray: “We just have to be consistent. That’s the main thing.” 

The Knicks just lost their best low post defender when Mitchell Robinson got hurt against the Wizards last time out; New York’s second consecutive defeat.  It’s surely worth noting that the entirety of the Knicks solid current run (7-3 SU since New Year’s Eve) has come against struggling teams or bottom feeders – Detroit, Washington, Indiana (the game that Halliburton got hurt), San Antonio, Houston, Phoenix (without Booker) and Toronto.  Atlanta isn’t struggling and they’re no bottom feeder….. even if Trae Young (probable, ankle) doesn’t end up playing.  Take the Hawks.

Line Parameter: 3% at -4 or lower, 2% at -4.5 or higher