- Miami Heat takes off for Atlanta to meet the Hawks
- The series is moving to Georgia now.
- Miami has a 2-0 lead at the moment.
Jimmy Butler and the boys are up two games against the Atlanta Hawks and go to Georgia to close the series. That is at least what they stated before this trip. Erik Spoelstra’s unit was looking very confident in the opening two events, and they stopped the rivals in pretty much all the vital aspects of play.
On the other side, the Hawks showed numerous weaknesses, and on top of that, the injuries decreased their potential significantly.
Miami Heat vs Atlanta Hawks Schedule
- Where: StateFarm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
- When: Friday, April 22 2022, at 7 pm ET
- How to Watch: ESPN
Heat vs Hawks Odds
| Team | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Heat | -1.5 | 221.5 |
| Hawks | +1.5 | 221.5 |
Game Preview
Defense the Key
We all know that the Heat has one of the league’s best defenses. That will especially be important at this time of the year, because defenses win titles. The Hawks scored 91 and 105 points in the opening two events, which is too low, and there lies the key to the Heat win.
On the other side, Jimmy B was superb in Game 2, delivering 45 buckets with five boards and assists. He was 11-for-12 from the free-throw line, and 15-for-25 from the field. We don’t need to tell his contribution on the defensive side of the ball.
Tyler Herro scored 15 points off the bench, while Spoelstra’s surprise in the starting lineup, Max Strus, scored 14, hitting three threes, all that in 22 minutes. Balanced scoring and a 10-man rotation made the difference, along with the already mentioned defense.
Trae Needs to Step Up
Young had a disastrous Game 1, but he somewhat improved in the next clash with 25 points. However, we need to say that apart from scoring more points, he was terrible. Trae made two threes in 10 shots, and had 10 turnovers. Yes, 10. He loses control in the moments when he isn’t doing well instead of being calm.
Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 29 buckets, having five threes and four boards, but apart from De’Andre Hunter, who ended the night with 16 points, there wasn’t any help.
John Collins had a double-double, 12 points, and 10 boards, but he is obviously limited due to his injury, and also, he can’t cover up for Clint Capela’s absence. Collins controls the glass up to some level, but he can’t provide Capela’s dominance under the rim. Especially in defense.
Head to Head Games
The first game saw the Heat easily dispatching the rivals, 115-91, while the second was a bit tighter, 115-105.
During the season, these two teams met on four occasions, and the Heat won three times, while Atlanta posted just one victory. That was at home in January.
Heat vs Hawks NBA Pick
From what we saw in the opening two games of the series, as well as in the regular-season clashes, the Heat have the formula for Trae and the guys. On top of that, Spoelstra’s unit perfectly exploits all the Hawks’ problems, the biggest one being Capela’s absence. That is why we bet on their victory here.
Expert Pick:
- Heat win
