The Atlanta Hawks (11-15) travel to face off against the Houston Rockets (13-11) on Wednesday, December 20th. This game will be played at Toyota Center. The Hawks are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Rockets are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Pistons. Tip-off is set for 8:00 ET.

Hawks vs Rockets

The Hawks Are Coming Off A Win

In their most recent game, the Hawks took down the Pistons by a score of 130-124. Leading up the game, the Hawks had a -12-point advantage on the spread but their 6 point win didn’t cover the spread. The over/under line entering this matchup was 247.5 points, and both teams achieved a total score that exceeded that line.

In their most recent five games, the Hawks have gone 2-3 and have an overall record of 11-15. On the road, the Hawks are 7-8 compared to 4-7 at home.

Atlanta has an ATS record of 6-20 for this season, which includes their current two game losing streak against the spread. This season, Atlanta has a 2-10 record against the spread when they are the favorites, and they are 4-10 as underdogs.

The Rockets Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

The Rockets will look to bounce back from a defeat in their last game, losing to the Cavaliers with a final score of 135-130. Alongside their straight-up loss, the Rockets couldn’t cover as +4 point underdogs. The over/under line for this matchup was set at 215.5 points, and the teams managed to exceed that total.

Coming into today’s matchup against the Hawks, the Rockets are looking to stay above .500. So far, they have a record of 13-11. In the Western Conference, they are currently in 9th place and are 3rd in the Southwest division.

Houston has an overall ATS record of 16-7 as they come into today’s game. In their last two games as underdogs, the Rockets have faced ATS losses, and they have a 6-0 record against the spread as favorites.

Hawks Offense Breakdown

The Atlanta offense will take the floor in today’s game with the league’s 3rd ranked offense at 122.7 points per game. When looking at the Hawks pace of play, they tend to play an up-tempo style of basketball. So far, the team is in the upper half of the NBA in possessions per game, averaging 101.3. So far, the team has been able to rank well on offense, even though their up-tempo style of play has not translated into inside scoring. Currently, Atlanta is just 15th in 2-point field goal makes per game.

Rockets Offense Breakdown

Houston has recorded an average of 110.7 points per game (26th) throughout 24 games games. So far, the Rockets are averaging 97.6 possessions per game, which places them below the NBA average. This deliberate style of basketball has played a role in the unit ranking just 28th in made shots per game.

Hawks Team Defense

Looking at the Hawks defense, they will be looking for a better performance considering they are currently conceding 122.7 points per game (28).

In the terms of takeaways, Hawks are causing 13.2 turnovers per game, ranking 16th in the league. They also enter the matchup ranked 21st in rejections, averaging 4.7 blocked shots each game.

Rockets Team Defense

At present, the Rockets’ defense is ranked 2, allowing 107.3 points per game.

When it comes to defending inside the arc, the Rockets squad is permitting opposing teams to shoot at a clip of 52.3% inside the arc, and they’re also giving up 31.5% from downtown.

Key Players For The Hawks And Rockets

Our projections for today’s game indicate that Trae Young will be the primary scorer for the Hawks, with 20 points and going 7/15 from the field. Throughout this season, his average stands at 28.1 points per game, along with 3 rebounds.

On the other side, Alperen Sengün is our projected leading scorer for the Rockets. We have him ending the game with a team-high 15 and grabbing 6 rebounds. For the season, he has a field goal percentage of 52.7% and is averaging 19.9 points per contest.

Hawks vs Rockets Trends

• Although Atlanta has a straight up record of 1-4 in their last five road games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 1-4. The team averaged 121 points per game in these games.
• Through their last five home contests, the Rockets offense has averaged 112 points per game while allowing an average of 114. Houston posted an overall record of 2-3 while going 2-3 ATS.
• The last ten games that Atlanta was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 1-9 while going 1-9 straight up.
• Houston has done well both straight up and vs the spread when favored to win the game, going 5-0 SU and 5-0 ATS in their last five games.

 

Hawks vs Rockets Prediction

 

The Hawks come in as the underdog at +4, making them our top choice on the point spread. We not only expect them to cover the spread but also believe they have a strong chance of winning the game outright, especially if you’re aiming for a higher moneyline payout.

As for the over/under, the the line is currently at 235, and our model projects the Hawks and Rockets to reach a combined total of 215 points. Our bet is on taking the under.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.