Posted on
3/17/2008 12:53:53 PM
NBA Basketball Betting - Wizards Host Hawks
By Eric Williams
The Atlanta Hawks, (28-38 SU, 30-35-1 ATS, 31-35 O/U), enter tonight’s contest fighting for their postseason lives and riding a two-game winning streak following their 109-98 road win over the New York Knicks, on Sunday.
The Washington Wizards, (33-32 SU, 37-28 ATS, 34-31 O/U), who recently got all-star forward Caron Butler back from a hip injury, have won three straight in the BetUS.com Sportsbook as they get themselves prepared for the postseason, including a 119-109 overtime win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.
The Hawks are looking for their first playoff appearance since 1998-99 but have struggled since acquiring veteran point guard Mike Bibby from the Sacramento Kings on Feb. 16 in an effort to better their chances of reaching the postseason.
Washington has won two of the three meetings against the Hawks this season, including a 102-98 overtime victory at Atlanta on Jan. 11.
Wizards all-star forward Antawn Jamison it up the Clippers for 36 points and 11 rebounds on Saturday while Caron Butler added 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in his second game since missing 16 games with his injury.
"We said, 'We're going to win this game,'" said Jamison. "I knew that if we could get a good couple of minutes starting the overtime, that we'd find a way to pull it off."
Jamison is averaging 21.6 points on the season and 25.0 in three games versus Atlanta this season.
Hawks shooting guard Joe Johnson has also been on fire recently, averaging 29.0 points and shooting 57.7 percent from downtown in his last eight contests.
"He's trying to carry this team into the playoffs," Atlanta coach Mike Woodson said. "He's putting them on his back and he's playing well."
Here is a look at tonight’s Key Trends, followed by my analysis and NBA Betting Picks.
The Hawks are 4-10 ATS in their last 14 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
The Hawks are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games as an underdog of 5.0-10.5.
The Wizards are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 Monday games.
The Wizards are 11-3 ATS in their last 14 games as a home favorite of 5.0-10.5.
The Over is 8-0 in Hawks last 8 games as a road underdog of 5.0-10.5.
The Over is 4-0 in Wizards last 4 vs. NBA Southeast.
The Under is 6-0 in the last 6 meetings in Washington.
The Under is 6-1 in the last 7 meetings.
Analysis: While I like the Washington Wizards to win this contest, something tells me that the Hawks are going to cover the spread easily while coming close to actually winning this game outright. Take the Hawks and the points. I also like the ‘Over’ a bunch here as both teams can score the ball, but neither plays very much defense at all.
NBA Free Picks: Over 204 Total Points/Atlanta +7 Points
07:05 PM EST NBA Betting Odds
Atlanta Hawks +7 -110
Washington Wizards -7 -110
Over 204 -110
Under 204 -110
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