NBA Odds: Hawks (even)
The Houston Rockets (41-18) will attempt to keep their five-game winning streak alive when they meet the Atlanta Hawks (47-12) at Philips Arena. Action begins at 7:30 pm ET on Tuesday, Mar. 3 and can be seen on NBATV, ROOT-SW and SPSO.
The Hawks played well in their last game, edging the Heat 93-91 on Saturday. Paul Millsap was the team’s leading scorer with 22 points on 8-for-15 shooting. The Rockets, meanwhile, are coming off a 105-103 win against the Cavaliers on Sunday. James Harden led the team in scoring by accounting for 33 points on 8-for-18 shooting.
Terrence Jones has been hot for the Rockets, averaging 17.0 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks over the past five games.
This one might be a mistake-prone game for the Rockets offense, which ranks 28th in the NBA in miscues (turnover percentage of 16.3%). They’re matched up against the disruptive Atlanta defense, which causes the fifth-most turnovers in the league (15.7%).
This is the second game of the year between these two teams, with the Hawks winning the first matchup 104-97. Dwight Howard had a double-double in the loss with 19 points and 11 rebounds.
The odds for Atlanta and Houston are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is unavailable as of now. The Hawks have gone 47-12 Straight Up (SU) and 38-21 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 16-4 SU and 15-5 ATS against the Western Conference. Atlanta is one of the most disciplined teams in the league with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.9. Atlanta’s defense can be considered one of the best in the league. The Hawks allow a .434 opponent field-goal percentage, one of the lowest shooting rates in the league. Atlanta’s defenders rank fifth in the NBA in steals with 8.8 per game. Atlanta will look to take advantage of the Rockets and their propensity to foul. Houston ranks 29th in the league in fouls, averaging 22.7 per game.
Over on the other bench, the Rockets have a record of 34-25 ATS and 41-18 SU. Against the Eastern Conference, Houston is 18-5 SU and 13-10 ATS. The Rockets rely heavily on three-pointers on offense, leading the league with 692 made (11.7 per game). Houston is the fourth-best team in the league at scoring points off turnovers with 19.1 per game.
With the Hawks’ last win against Houston, Atlanta moved closer to evening up its record against Houston. It now stands at 4-6 SU over the last 10 meetings. Furthermore, the Rockets hold the advantage ATS with a record of 6-4. In these last 10 matchups, Houston held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers three times, with Atlanta controlling all three of these areas one time.
Predictions: SU Winner – HOU, ATS Winner – HOU
Notes
Houston averages 103.3 points per game (ranked sixth). However, Atlanta has allowed an average of just 96.4 points per game (ranked second).
Houston and Atlanta are well matched, ranking fourth in points per away game and points allowed at home respectively. Houston puts up an average of 105.5 points on the road, while Atlanta allows 95.1 points at home on average.
Atlanta has a stellar 34-3 record this season when it gives up under 100 points in a game. Houston is sitting at an even 10-10 record when it scores under 100.
When the Atlanta Hawks allow at least 100 points they are 13-9, while the Houston Rockets are 31-8 when they register triple digits.
Atlanta’s offense and Houston’s defense both rank sixth this season. Atlanta has an offensive rating of 106.3 and Houston has a defensive rating of 99.8.
Atlanta averages fewer possessions per game than Houston, with 96.5 compared to 99.9. However, the Hawks score an average of 1.063 points per possession, more than the 1.034 that the Rockets score.
The Atlanta Hawks have one of the best effective field goal percentages this season, ranking third in the league with an EFF% of 52.7%. When their opponents record a similar or higher EFF%, the Houston Rockets have an abysmal 2-11 record.
On average, Atlanta attempts 25.9 three pointers and Houston attempts 33.8 per game. Both teams have winning records when they have 25 or more three point attempts. The Hawks sit at 29-7 and the Rockets are 41-17.
The third-ranked team, Atlanta has an assist to turnover ratio of 1.89 this season. Houston ranks lower at 28th with an A/TO of 1.34.
Atlanta ranks 27th in rebounds per game with 41.0, while Houston ranks 15th with 43.7 per game.
The Houston Rockets rank sixth in offensive rebounding, while the Atlanta Hawks rank 14th in defensive rebounding.
Though Atlanta is one of the best in the league in forcing turnovers with opponents averaging a TOV% of 15.7% (ranked fifth), Houston has a solid 22-11 record SU when its TOV% is 15.7% or greater.
