Atlanta is probably the best group in the East at home, so it’s nothing unexpected that the Hawks are the mind-boggling top picks to overcome Charlotte in the first round of the end-of-the-season games. Can the Hornets surprise everybody? OKBET has made its predictions for the series and the series winner.
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks have slowed significantly since last season. When they finished ninth in the East. Trae Young, on the other hand, had an outstanding season, averaging 28.7 points and 9.7 assists while shooting 46% from the field. Young is now an important member of the team, as he is the driving force behind the offense, not only leading it but also taking difficult shots. Bogdan Bogdanovic has improved in the second half of the season, but being the third offensive option may not be enough. John Collins remains on the injured reserve list and is unlikely to play against Charlotte.
Nate McMillan’s team won seven of their last nine regular-season games, losing only to Miami and Toronto. Atlanta defeated Houston 130-114 in the championship game. The Hawks hit more than half of their three-point attempts (21 of 38). Clint Capela contributed 7 of 13 offensive rebounds, which was an important factor in the victory. Atlanta had three players score more than 20 points. In addition to Young, De’Andre Hunter and Danilo Gallinari scored. They made a total of ten three-pointers.
Read more: NBA Playoffs Schedule 2022
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets won 11 of their last 15 regular-season games but fell to 10th in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte missed too many games in the middle of the season and fell just short of catching up. Even in Gordon Hayward’s absence, LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges have had a rapid turnaround, but Kelly Oubre is seeing far less playing time. Hayward will be out for the next two weeks, making him the Hornets’ only significant loss.
Charlotte defeated Washington 124-108 at home in their final regular-season game. More than half of the three-pointers were made by James Borrego’s players, with LaMelo Ball hitting six of his seven attempts. Terry Rozier shot 5 of 9 from beyond the arc and 10 of 18 from the field, finishing with 25 points and 6 assists. Only four Hornets players scored more than 10 points, including Ball and Rozier, as well as Jalen McDaniels and Isaiah Thomas.
Head-to-head encounters
Both teams have five victories in their last ten meetings. Atlanta and Charlotte have met four times this season, and the teams are evenly matched. The Hornets won the previous game, 116-106. Gordon Hayward and John Collins did not appear on the floor.
Key stats
- Atlanta has nine wins in 10 home games;
- Charlotte has 6 of the last 10 road games;
- Atlanta Hawks finished the regular season 26th in the NBA defensive rating, with Charlotte at 23rd.
Expert Betting Tips
The Hawks arrived at the Eastern Conference finals last season, yet imitating that achievement will be troublesome. The rundown’s profundity isn’t what it used to be, as Collins and Reddish both played a year prior. Insurance turns into the prevailing point of convergence in removal games, and Charlotte’s lead coach James Borrego knows how to play watch. The Hornets’ offense at this point changes, and they have someone to replace Hayward, while their opponent is vivaciously subject to Trae Young. I recommend that we put down wagers on the accompanying results:
- H2 (+5.5) for 1.80;
- TO (235.5) for 1.845;
- W2 (incl. OT) for 2.82.
