The Atlanta Hawks (14-19) travel to face off against the Indiana Pacers (19-14) on Friday, January 5th. This game will be played at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Tip-off is set for 7:00 ET.

Hawks vs Pacers

The Hawks Are Coming Off A Win

In their last game, the Hawks defeated the Thunder with a final score of 141-138. In addition to their straight-up win, the Hawks also covered the spread as -1-point favorites. The over/under line entering this matchup was 249 points, and both teams achieved a total score that exceeded that line.

Heading into today’s game, the Hawks are 10th in the Eastern Conference and 3rd in the Southeast division. With an overall record of 14-19, the Hawks are looking to build on their two game winning streak.

Atlanta’s ATS record sits below .500 (8-25). Atlanta has failed to cover the spread in three straight road games and are 6-13 ATS on the road compared to 2-12 at home.

The Pacers Are Coming Off A Win

Tyrese Haliburton scored 31 for Indiana against the Bucks which was the most on the team. His field goal percentage for the game was 55.6%. As the Pacers secured the victory with a final score of 142-130, Bennedict Mathurin also chipped in with 16 points.

With an overall record of 19-14, the Pacers are 5th in the Eastern Conference and are 2nd in the Central Division. Their five game winning streak is something they are looking to continue today.

Against the spread, Indiana have an above .500 record vs. the spread sitting at 19-14 ATS. The Pacers are in the midst of a three game ATS win streak as underdogs, and they come in with a 9-7 record against the spread as favorites.

Hawks Offense Breakdown

Leading up to today’s matchup, the Hawks are one of the NBA’s top offenses, averaging 122.8 points per game (3rd). So far, Atlanta is averaging 101.2 possessions per game, making them one of the more up-tempo teams in the league. Even though the unit has one of the lower effective field goal percentages in the NBA at 54%. Their up-tempo style of play has given them enough opportunites to make up for their poor shooting numbers.

Pacers Offense Breakdown

The Pacers come into today’s game as one of the better scoring teams in the NBA at 126.9 points per game (1st). The Pacers come into the game as one of the league’s better 3-point shooting teams, connecting at a rate of 14.7 made 3’s per game. One thing that could take the team’s offense to the next level is if they can begin to generate more opportunites at the free-throw line. So far, they are averaging just 17.8 made free-throws per game.

Hawks Team Defense

On defense, the Hawks are ranked 28th in the NBA this season. So far, they have given up more points than the NBA scoring average in 78.8% of their games. Opponents are hitting 58.1% of their two-point field goal attempts this season, and they’re also connecting on 38.4% of their three-point attempts.

Pacers Team Defense

Facing Atlanta, the Pacers aims for a better defensive performance, given their current average of 124.6 points allowed per game (29th). Indiana’s defense is currently forcing 12.8 turnovers per game, which is 12th in the league. Additionally, they enter the game ranked 1st in blocked shots, with an average of 6.5 rejections per game.

Key Players For The Hawks And Pacers

In today’s game, we anticipate Trae Young leading the scoring for the Hawks, contributing 26 points while shooting 8/19 from the field. This season, he is averaging 28.2 points per game along with 3.1 boards.

On the other side, Tyrese Haliburton is our projected leading scorer for the Pacers. We have him ending the game with a team-high 22 and grabbing 3 rebounds. For the season, he has a field goal percentage of 50.1% and is averaging 24.9 points per contest.

Hawks vs Pacers Trends

• In their last five games away from home, the Hawks have a straight up record of 2-3 while going 1-4 vs. the spread. The team averaged 121 points per game in this stretch.
• Although Indiana has a straight up record of 6-4 in their last ten home games, they have not held up as well vs the spread going 6-4. The team averaged 122 points per game in these games.
• Looking back on the team’s last five games as the underdog, the Hawks have a straight up record of 2-3. Their record vs the spread in these games was 2-3.
• As the betting favorite, the Pacers have an ATS record of 2-1 in their last three games. In these matchups, their straight up record was 2-1.

Hawks vs Pacers Prediction

As the underdogs with a spread of +4, we recommend going with the Hawks on the point spread. We not only see them covering the spread but also have a strong likelihood of winning this one outright, especially if you’re seeking a higher payout on the moneyline.

As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 262.5 and our model has the Hawks and Pacers finishing with a combined 231 points. Our pick is to take 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.