Heat vs Hawks Game Preview, Stream, Odds, Picks & Predictions

The Atlanta Hawks are in the midst of a two-game slide and desperate to get back on track. Next up is a tough Southeast Division date against the high-flying Miami Heat, although It doesn’t seem to be quite so dogged in the betting. BetUS sportsbook tips the game with the Hawks across the betting online odds board to both win and cover. So, the question is: Does the market have it right?

Game: Miami Heat (25-15) at Atlanta Hawks (17-22)
Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta
Day/Time: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Television: ESPN

Miami Heat at Atlanta Hawks Picks

Hot Form

The Miami Heat have reeled off two straight victories to improve to 11 wins in their last 15 games. Overall, the Heat are a stellar 25-15 , sitting pretty in third place in the Eastern Conference and three games back of the conference-leading Chicago Bulls.

The Heat are flush of a signature win over the Phoenix Suns on Saturday, delivering a comprehensive 123-100 beat-down on the road. Miami closed as the staggering +9½ underdogs in NBA spreads betting markets.

On the night that the Suns were buoyed by the return of Deandre Ayton, JaVale McGee and Jae Crowder, the Heat nevertheless laid them to waste. Miami outshot and outplayed the highly fancied Suns, hitting 22 of 44 three-pointers.

Tyler Herro really playing in ALL-STAR MODE 🗣 #TylerHerro #NBAAllStar

33 PTS (season-high)
12/20 FG
3/4 3PT
5 REB
3 AST

Heat beat the Suns 123-100 🔥@raf_tyler (via @MiamiHEAT)pic.twitter.com/FlFajl3hEE

— Overtime (@overtime) January 9, 2022

The Heat seemed to score at will and from anywhere. Tyler Herro led the team with 33 points, five rebounds and three assists while Duncan Robinson put up 27 points, four rebounds and an assist. Kyle Lowry and Max Strus combined for 28 points and Omer Yurtseven had 16 rebounds.

The Heat are averaging 108.4 points on 45.9 percent shooting and allowing 104.2 points on 44.2 percent shooting.

Hawks Frustrations Boiling Over

The Atlanta Hawks were amongst the dangerous floaters in preseason markets according to NBA betting experts – an outlook that was rooted in Atlanta’s postseason run last summer.

Alas, they’ve failed to live up to those lofty expectations. Coach Nate McMillan’s side is just outside the play-in, cut-off line, in 12th place with a 17-22 mark after 39 games. They’re 10½ games back of the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference standings and riding a two-game slide into Wednesday’s clash with their Southeast rivals.

The mood amongst players isn’t positive, and following their latest defeat – a 106-93 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers — the frustrations are threatening to boil over as they are met with repeated setbacks. The Hawks closed as the four-point road chalk, but they failed to even whiff at the point spread.

I asked Trae Young about his spirits, with where the Hawks are:

“We’re finally getting some guys back, but we’ve got to win. For me… It’s frustrating. I hate losing. That’s pretty much it. I’m not the happiest guy in the world right now, but we’ve got to find a way to win.”

— Sarah K. Spencer (@sarah_k_spence) January 9, 2022

The Hawks have lost 10 of their last 14 games. They’re offense ranks ninth overall with 110.8 points per game on 46.1 shooting. However, the defense ranks 25th with an average of 111.5 points per game on 46.7 percent shooting.

Time to Buy What Miami is Selling?

The Miami Heat are coming off a gauntlet-throwing win over the Phoenix Suns, pulling off the feat despite being short on numbers, including Jimmy Butler. And yet, the Heat are playing some of the best hoops this season. At some point, one has to consider that it may be time to buy what the Heat are selling.

Perhaps, the Hawks will turn things around in this divisional showdown. After all, they have home-court advantage and that will be a boon. However, can they be trusted? Form is a source for concern, and It undermines their odds as the 2½ -point home chalk.

Form can be a moot point in a divisional game where the parties concerned are so familiar with each other. Nevertheless, this very same divisional dimension is precisely why the shorthanded but in-form Heat are the tempting bet for NBA picks.