hawks vs cavaliers nba betting prediction
PublishedDecember 16, 2023,            Posted By: Maria Uebelhor
Last updated:December 16, 2023 , ,

NBA: Hawks vs Cleveland Cavaliers Prediction 12/16/2023

The Atlanta Hawks (10-14) travel to face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers (13-12) on Saturday, December 16th. This game will be played at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Hawks are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Cavaliers are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Raptors. Tip-off is set for 7:30 ET.

Hawks vs Cavaliers

The Hawks Are Coming Off A Winatlanta hawks

In their last game, the Hawks defeated the Raptors with a final score of 125-104. The Hawks entered the game as the underdogs by +2, resulting in both a straight-up and ATS win. Regarding the over/under, the combined score of 229 points ended up below the over/under line of 241.5.

Coming into today’s matchup, the Hawks have an overall record of 10-14 and have gone 1-2 in their last three games. On the road, the Hawks are 7-7 this season compared to a 3-7 record at home.

Atlanta currently has an ATS record below .500, sitting at 6-18 at this point. In their last eight home games, Atlanta has been unable to cover the spread, and they maintain an ATS record of 1-9 at home compared to 5-9 on the road.

The Cavaliers Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 31 points against the Celtics, the highest on the team. He finished with a field goal percentage of 48.2% in the game. Caris LeVert contributed 26 points, but Cleveland lost the game 116-107.

As the Cavaliers face off against the Hawks, they have an above .500 record of 13-12. When playing on the road this season, the Cavaliers are 7-6 compared to a 6-6 record at home.

Cleveland arrives with an ATS record of 10-13 for the season up to this point. When playing on the road, the Cavaliers hold an ATS record of 6-5 in contrast to a 4-8 record against the spread when playing at home.

Hawks Offense Breakdown

Today, the Hawks enter the game as one of the NBA’s top-scoring teams, averaging 122.6 points per game (3rd). So far, Atlanta is averaging 101.5 possessions per game, making them one of the more up-tempo teams in the league. A key aspect of the team’s offensive success is their ability to pair an up-tempo style of play with efficient outside shooting. So far, they are the 8th ranked team in 3-point shooting percentage.

Cavaliers Offense Breakdown

This season, the Cleveland offense is ranked 25th in the NBA in scoring at 110.5 points per game. Coming into today’s game, the Cavaliers will be looking to improve their 3-point shooting numbers, as they are averaging just 11.4 made 3’s per game. If the Cleveland offense is going to turn things around, not only do they need to improve their outside shooting but they must do a better job protecting the ball. Currently, they are averaging 14 turnovers per game.

Hawks Team Defensecleveland cavaliers

Coming into the game, the Hawks’ defense is giving up an average of 122.5 points per game. So far, they have given up more points than the NBA league average in 70.8% of their games.

On two point field goal attempts, the Hawks’ defensive unit is allowing a field goal percentage of 58.6% and allowing 38.2% from beyond the arc.

Cavaliers Team Defense

The Cavaliers’ defense is presently ranked 8th in the league, allowing an average of 110.9 points per contest.

Inside the arc, the Cavaliers defense is giving up a shooting percentage of 51.8% and 35.6% from three-point territory.

Key Players For The Hawks And Cavaliers

The outlook for today’s matchup points to Trae Young as the primary point contributor for the Hawks, finishing with 22 points while maintaining a 8/17 shooting accuracy. Throughout this season, his average stands at 27.7 points per game, along with 2.9 rebounds.

As for Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell is projected to be the primary scorer for the Cavaliers. Our forecast has him finishing the game with 21, and adding 6 rebounds. Throughout the season, he has maintained a 45.5% field goal shooting rate and is averaging 27.6 points per game.

Hawks vs Cavaliers Trends

  • When looking at their past three road matchups, Atlanta has an ATS record of 1-2 while averaging 122 per game. The team went 1-2 overall in these games.
  • When looking at their past five home matchups, Cleveland has an ATS record of 2-1-2 while averaging 107 per game. The team went 2-3 overall in these games.
  • The last five games that Atlanta was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 1-4 while going 1-4 straight up.
  • In their last three games as the betting favorite, the Cavaliers have a strong straight up record of 3-0. In addition, their ATS record was 2-0-1 in these scenarios.

Hawks vs Cavaliers Prediction

As the underdogs with a spread of +2, 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.

Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 239 and given that our model is projecting 221 points between the teams, we like the under.

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

* 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.