The Atlanta Hawks continue their Western Conference road trip with a visit to the PHX Arena for a showdown between the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
Atlanta heads to this matchup after losing to the Denver Nuggets in their last assignment. The Hawks have dropped three out of their last four games and they are trying to avoid going below the .500 mark. The Suns head home after going a perfect 4-0 in their recent road trip. Phoenix has won five out of its last six games including the last two. This is the first meeting between these two teams this season.
The Atlanta Hawks are 23-23 on the season and they are just one-half game behind the Hornets in a closely fought Southeast division. Atlanta is currently 6th in the Eastern Conference team standings and also half-a-game away from getting to the 4th seed. Atlanta is 7-3 in their last 10 games played but have dropped three of its last four games played including a 102-126 blowout loss against the Nuggets.
Trae Young led the Hawks with 21 points and 7 assists. However, he also had seven turnovers for Atlanta. Danilo Gallinari scored 14 points against his former team while John Collins added 11 points and 5 boards. Clint Capela also contributed 10 points and 8 boards in a losing effort.
Atlanta has the 15th best offense in the league at 112.5 points per game this season. They are only 20th in passing at 24.1 assists per game. The Hawks are pulling down 45.6 boards grabbed per contest, 8th best in the league, and have the NBA’s 8th best scoring defense at 110.7 points per game allowed.
The Phoenix Suns have the best record in the loaded Pacific division, the second-best record in the Western Conference, and the third-best record in the entire league at 31-14. Phoenix also heads to this contest having won seven out of their last 10 games, including five out of their last six. In their last game, the Suns outlasted the Charlotte Hornets in OT 101-97.
Devin Booker had a big night against Charlotte with 35 points. Chris Paul added 16 while Deandre Ayton contributed 14 points and 14 boards. Mikal Bridges scored 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and had a career-high six steals. Torrey Craig came off the bench to score nine points, grab five rebounds, with two steals and one blocked shot.
Phoenix is ranked 11th in the league in scoring at 113.4 points per game this season. The Suns are only 19th off the glass with an average of 43.65 rebounds per game. However, Phoenix is the second-best passing team in the league at 27.0 assists per game. They also have the NBA’s third-best scoring defense at only 107.4 points per game allowed.
Atlanta is 9-3 SU in their last 12 games played. The Hawks are 4-3 SU in their last seven games played on the road. Phoenix is 5-1 SU in their last six games played. The Suns are 15-8 SU in their last 23 games played at home. Head to head, the Hawks are 4-1 SU in their last five games played against the Suns. However, Phoenix is 4-1 SU in their last five home games against Atlanta.
Both these teams are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games played but the Suns head to this game with plenty of momentum as they have won five out of their last six games.
Meanwhile, the Hawks have dropped three out of their last four games and are just 12-14 SU away from home. De’Andre Hunter is out again with knee problems but they are likely getting Lou Williams for the first time since the Rondo trade.
DeAndre Ayton is shooting 65.7% from the floor in his last 10 games while averaging 15.9 points per game. As usual, the Suns will look to Devin Booker and Chris Paul will lead the way for Phoenix. Trae Young is scoring 25.6 points per game for Atlanta while Kevin Huerter is averaging 9.8 points and 2.9 assists per game in his last 10 games played. Instead of becoming a shootout between Booker and Young, this will likely be a battle between two Top 10 defenses. The Suns just have more talent than Atlanta right now.
Prediction: Phoenix Suns -225
The Hawks are 6-3 ATS in their last nine games played. Atlanta is 6-2 ATS in their last eight games played after an ATS loss, 6-2 ATS in their last eight games after scoring at least 100 points in their previous game, 18-7 ATS in their last 25 Tuesday games, and 5-2 ATS in their last seven games after an SU loss. The Suns are 13-5 ATS in their last 18 games played. Phoenix is 12-4 ATS in their last 16 games played at home, 7-0 ATS in their last seven games after an ATS loss, 5-1 ATS in their last six Tuesday games, 23-9 ATS in their last 32 games when playing on one-day rest, 26-12 in their last 38 games after an ATS win, and 37-15 ATS in their last 52 games after scoring 100 or more points in their previous game. Head to head, the Suns are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 meetings against the Suns, 3-1-1 ATS in their last five meetings in Phoenix.
The Hawks have dropped three out of their last four games, including a blowout loss to the Denver Nuggets. De’Andre Hunter missed his third straight game with knee soreness but Atlanta is expected to debut Lou Williams on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Suns have been a covering machine since the Orlando bubble and they have covered well at home this season. Four out of their last six wins have been by double digits. Give me the Suns to win this home game by at least six points.
Prediction: Suns –7
The over is 8-4 in Atlanta’s last 12 games played against the Western Conference. The total has gone over in six out of their last eight games played on the road. The over is 13-3 in the Hawks’ last 16 games after an SU loss of more than 10 points. Atlanta has seen the total go over in eight out of their last 11 games after an SU loss. The total has gone under in five out of the last six games played by the Suns. The under is 4-0 in their last four games after an ATS loss, 5-0 in their last five games played when playing on one day rest, and 5-1 in their last six games played after scoring 100 or more points in their previous game. Head to head, the under is 10-3 in their last 13 meetings.
These teams have combined to score an average of 215.5 points per game in their last 10 meetings. Both teams rank in the Top 10 in scoring defense and combine to score an average of 225.9 points per game this season. The Hawks have scored 110 or fewer points in four out of their last five games played. The Suns have gone under 222.5 six times in their last eight games played and their defense has conceded 112 or fewer points in seven out of their last eight games played. I like the Suns’ defense to set the tempo of this game.
Prediction: Under 222.5
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