It’s hard to find a team that’s more consistent than the Phoenix Suns right now. Not only are they the team with the best record in the league, but they have won their last 11 games.
Their most recent was a double-digit victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Now they get to play a hot opponent in the Atlanta Hawks, who had a seven-game winning streak snapped last time out.
Will Atlanta start to stumble back down the rankings following Monday’s loss to Toronto or will the Hawks overcome one of the best teams in the league?
Let’s take a closer look at the NBA odds here and see what the best option is for those who bet online.
- Game: Phoenix Suns at Atlanta Hawks
- Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta
- Day/Time: Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Television: TNT
Phoenix Suns at Atlanta Hawks
Dominating Both Sides of Court
What really makes the Phoenix Suns stick out from the rest of the teams in the league is that they are top 10 in both offense and defensive rankings. To be more precise, they are third in points scored per game and seventh in points allowed.
They wouldn’t be able to do it without Chris Paul as their starting point guard. The veteran controls everything that they do on the court and his experience is really starting to rub off on the rest of the team.
Paul averages 14.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 10.4 assists. His partner in crime, Devin Booker, is averaging 25.4 points to form a dominant backcourt.
Defensively, their biggest contributor lately was signed not too long ago. Bismack Biyombo has only played in 13 games but is averaging 10.2 points and 7.5 rebounds to help this team any way he can.
On top of that, the Suns are expected to get Deandre Ayton onto the floor again in this game. This team has great chemistry, balance and is in ideal shape to keep on winning.
Hawks Could Be Without Young
Atlanta is finally starting to see some results after making the Eastern Conference Championship just a year ago. They started the season terribly but appear to have turned it around.
However, they may have be without their best player. Trae Young has missed the contact portion of practice the past couple days and has been labeled as a game-time decision.
If he is out, the Hawks will be lacking his 27.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game. Young’s absence forces this team to look elsewhere for consistent offense.
Luckily, they do have players like Lou Williams, Danilo Gallinari and Kevin Huerter, who can all create their own shot. Their problem has always been on defense, though, ranking 23rd in the league in points allowed per game.
Despite Clint Capela averaging 1.4 blocks, there is a lack of communication on the back end. It also doesn’t help that teams target guys like Williams and Young on defense because of their size.
Suns to Exploit Young’s Absence
Even with Young still not ruled out of this game, the Suns are listed as 4½-point favorites in the sportsbook. Phoenix is coming into this game with Ayton possibly rejoining the lineup.
This is a trio that marched them into the NBA Finals last season. Plus, they are on a monster win streak with the best record in the league for a reason.
The Hawks, on the other hand, haven’t been consistent outside of their recent win streak. They also haven’t been forced to create shots much with Young not playing.
Phoenix looks like they are the overall better team and should win this game and cover the spread.
As for the over-under, it is set at 225. It looks like over is the better bet for NBA picks. We have two very hot offenses squaring off even if Young can’t get on the floor.
