The Hawks are looking for the fourth consecutive victory over Cleveland, while the Cavs are seeking the tenth win in a row. With plenty of picks and markets to choose from, don’t waste your time and join the action at Get More Sports.
Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks
Spread: Cleveland Cavaliers -7 (-110) at BetDSI Sportsbook
Total: Over/Under 215.5 points (-106/110)
The Cavs are hoping to extend the winning run to ten games
The Cleveland Cavaliers are in a fantastic form of nine straight victories after a troublesome start of the season and are on the course to fight for the top of the Eastern Conference, so losing in Atlanta is not an option for TyronnLue men. Cleveland is currently in the 3rd place in the East with the 14-7 record, and a potential win here could put them at the top of the Central Division, but the Detroit Pistons are in a slightly better position at the moment.
The Cavs scored 75 points in the first half in a latest 108:97 home victory over the Miami Heat, in opposite to the visitors’ 49, and even though they slowed down after the interval, the hosts recorded a convincing win. Kevin Love led Cleveland with a season-high 38 points (10-16 FG, 4-8 3PT, 14-18 FT), nine rebounds, and two steals in just 25 minutes on the floor, while LeBron James followed him with a double-double of 21 points and 12 boards, along with six assists, and season-high five thefts. The King was ejected for the first time in his career after complaining to the refs in the third quarter. Dwyane Wade added 17 points, five rebounds, four dimes, and a pair of steals, J.R. Smith contributed with 12 points and five boards, while Kyle Korver scored 11 points. Once again, the veteran Jose Calderon started at the point guard, but LeBron and D-Wade were the creators of most play actions and ran the offensive possessions for the hosts. Love faces the weak Atlanta’s frontcourt and should dominate the paint, and the excellent performance against the Heat will be great for his confidence following a few pale displays. The former Minnesota power forward failed to reach 20-point mark in four games prior to the tilt with Atlanta, and I believe he will have another big night on Thursday. Of course, James is the obvious man to watch for Cleveland as he is driving this team forward lately, but a part of the big burden he’s carrying will come off his shoulders when Isaiah Thomas returns from an injury.
TyronnLue will wait for approximately one more month to see Isaiah on the court, as the former Boston Celtic is recovering from a hip issue that forced him to miss the start of the campaign. Thomas started participating in light training and is making progress toward his return, so now when Derrick Rose is likely done for the year, Isaiah will provide a major boost to Cleveland. Rose is out with an ankle injury, and he’s even contemplating retirement, so we might not see him playing for the Cavs anymore. For the time being, Calderon will continue to serve as the starting PG, but LeBron could also fil the role if needed. Tristan Thompson is also sidelined for the visitors, while Iman Shumpert is dealing with a knee issue and will not feature on this one. Wade, Smith, and Korver will split his minutes. The Cavs are scoring 110.76 points per contest on average (3rd in the NBA), while they are allowing 108.52 points in return 27th in the NBA). Cleveland is among the best ten teams in the league (6th) when it comes to field goal percentage (47.45%), while they’re third when it comes to free-throw shooting (81.12%).
Place: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
Date/Time: Thursday, November 30th, 2017, 7:30 PM ET
TV Coverage: FOX SPORTS SOUTHEAST – ATLANTA, FOX SPORTS OHIO, NBA TV CANADA
The Hawks are hoping to avoid the eighth loss in 11 matches
The Atlanta Hawks are playing their fourth consecutive home game and are looking to bounce back after a disastrous 78:112 defeat to the Toronto Raptors a few nights ago. Atlanta is in the 14th position in the Eastern Conference with the 4-16 record and only the Chicago Bulls have a worse record in the NBA at the moment, and it looks like these two teams will be the first ones out of the playoff picture as the season progresses. Mike Budenholzer’s side recorded three wins in a row over the Cavs and would like to take their scalp again, but the visitors are in a tremendous form recently, and it’s going to be really hard doing so.
The Hawks were horrific in the second and third quarter in a loss to the Raptors, scoring miserable 33 points in opposite to Toronto’s 71, and the Canadians dominated in all segments of the game, so Atlanta suffered another heavy defeat. Dennis Schroder led the Hawks with 14 points and four boards, while Taurean Prince and Marco Belinelli scored ten points apiece. Other players finished in single digits, and that isn’t strange given that Atlanta had only 34.7% from the field and hit just six triples on 27 attempts (22.7%). The German international Schroder is the player to watch for the hosts, but I expect to see more from Kent Bazemore who scored mere three points against Toronto, while Belinelli will likely lead the second unit and could play a significant part in this tilt, especially if Atlanta is trailing and rely on his three-point shooting.
Mike Budenholzer is devastated after losing another of his big guys as Dewayne Dedmon sustained a left tibia injury and will be sidelined for three to six weeks, while Mike Muscala is still out with an ankle setback, so John Collins will get all the minutes he can handle. The good news is that Luke Babbitt will likely return to the floor following a three-game absence due to a back injury. The Hawks are scoring 102.20 points per contest on average (22nd in the NBA), while they are allowing 108.20 points in return (25th in the NBA). Atlanta is among the best five teams in the league (5th) when it comes to shooting from downtown (38.20%), and that could be the hosts’ primary weapon on Thursday.
Cleveland Cavaliers at Atlanta Hawks Spurs Trends & Prediction
The Cavs are 8-12-1 against the spread (7-3 away), while they are 11-9-1 on over/under (6-4 away), and given that Cleveland has a very good away record, I am backing the visitors to win convincingly here. Also, I believe they will score at least 110 points, as their defense will probably allow 100+, so there is a solid chance that this one could go OVER.
The Hawks are 8-11-1 against the spread (4-5 home), while they are 11-8-1 on over/under (7-2 home), so it is clear that Atlanta plays high-scoring matches at Philips Arena, and I expect to see another one on Thursday.
My Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers -7 (-110)
Total: Over 215.5 points (-106)
