Atlanta (1-3) at Miami (3-1)
When: Tuesday, April 26th, 2022
Where: FTX Arena,
Miami, FL
Time: 7:00 ET | TV: NBA TV
Opening Odds: Miami -7/218
The Miami Heat have the Atlanta Hawks right where they want them and can advance to the second round with a Game 5 win on Tuesday night at home. Tip is set for 7:00 ET from FTX Arena and will be broadcast on NBA TV. The Heat have dominated three of the first four games of this first round series, winning by double-digits in each victory and falling by one point in Game 3. The Heat took control in the second quarter of Game 4 on Sunday, outscoring the Hawks 30-15 and never looked back in the 110-86 win to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. Miami played the game without point guard Kyle Lowry, who is dealing with a hamstring injury. Gabe Vincent started in his place and Victor Oladipo delivered a solid performance in increased minutes.
The Hawks offense starts and ends with Trae Young, but the star guard has disappeared in two of the three losses. He was limited to nine points in Game 4 and had just eight points in the first game of the series at Miami. Multiple defenders have been used by Miami to distract and frustrate Young. Center Clint Capela was in the starting lineup after missing the first three games of the series because of a knee injury, but was ineffective with two points and seven rebounds. The Hawks have a big hill to climb and would need to win the next three games, including two in Miami. Atlanta has been a poor road team lately, covering the spread in just eight of their last 28 away from home.
Capela was rusty in his return to the lineup in his 21 minutes of action, and the Hawks really need him to dust off that rust for Tuesday. Young’s nine points on Sunday came with a 3-for-11 shooting performance and it goes with out saying – when he goes, the team goes. Bojan Bogdanovic and Kevin Huerter combined for only 8 points in Game 4. The top player on Sunday was De’Andre Hunter, who finished with 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting. John Collins, who is working his way back from an injury, had just 11 points on Sunday. The Under is 8-0 in the Hawks’ last 8 games as an underdog away from home.
The Heat showing everyone that they are far more superior than this Atlanta squad. Jimmy Butler is having a fantastic series so far, putting up 28.7 points on 53.3 percent shooting from the field. He is also averaging 7.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists to boot. Butler isn’t doing it along, however. Four other Heat players are averaging at least 10 points per game. Miami is outshooting the Hawks from the 3-point line 38.7 percent to 31.5 percent. Defensively, the Heat are limiting Atlanta to 102.3 points in the series and 45.9 percent from the floor. The Heat are 5-0 against the spread in their last 5 games as a home favorite.
There’s no doubt in my mind that the Heat will finish off the Hawks in this game. The question comes down to the point spread. I will lay the points. The Heat have won their three games by double-digits and the Hawks just simply don’t have enough scoring.
Check out who Bobby Babowski has on his Free NBA Picks page for today.
Pick: Heat -7
