The Atlanta Hawks (27-27) visit the New Orleans Pelicans (28-27) on Tuesday night. The action begins at 7:30 pm ET. Below we continue our NBA odds series with a Hawks-Pelicans prediction, pick and how to watch.
Atlanta has won two of its last three games and sits eighth in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks covered 45% of their game while 59% exceeded their projected point total. New Orleans has won two straight but still ranks ninth in the Western Conference. The Pelicans covered 48% of their games while passing 56%. This will be the second and last meeting between the enemies of the crusading conference. Atlanta took a 124-121 home win in the first meeting.
Here are the NBA Hawks-Pelicans odds, courtesy of FanDuel
NBA odds: Hawks vs. Pelicans odds
Atlanta Falcons: +2 (-110)
New Orleans Pelicans: -2 (-110)
More: 237 (-110)
Less: 237 (-110)
How to watch Hawks vs. pelicans
Television: Bally Southeast, Bally New Orleans
Stream: NBA League Pass
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 p.m. PT
*Watch NBA games LIVE on fuboTV (click for free trial)*
Why the Hawks could cover the spread
Atlanta has turned the tables after a rocky start to the season, but they still have work to do as they move up the Eastern Conference ladder. The Hawks boast a stellar offense that ranks eighth at 116.3 PPG. Atlanta is strong near the basket, ranking 10th in points in the paint with an average of 52.3 points per game. Perhaps his best attribute is his ability to guard the ball. The Hawks average just 12.8 turnovers per game and turn the ball over at the second-lowest rate in the league.
The Hawks are led by their pair of talented guards, Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. Young leads the team with 27 PPG and 9.9 APG. Known for his powerful outside shooting, Trae has been remarkably cool from beyond the arc this season. With 35% shooting from 3-pointers in his career, Young is shooting just 32% from beyond the arc this year. That said, he’s still deadly from three and is a constant threat to shoot well beyond the arc. However, the most notable attribute of him is his death. Young ranks third in the league in assists and has been especially nice to his teammates of late. He has eclipsed 10 assists in five of his last six games and is a double-double threat every night.
Although Trae is the identity of this Hawks team, his teammate in the back, Dejounte Murray, may be the main reason they can cover tonight. Murray is averaging 21.2 PPG, 6.2 APG and 5.4 RPG for the season. He is a very efficient scorer, shooting 46% overall and 37% from three. Also, Murray is coming off one of his best games of the season when he scored 27 points and dished out 10 assists in a loss to Denver. While he didn’t shoot well in his previous matchup with the Pelicans, he still had a double-double of 22 points and 11 assists and again should see a fair amount of success against a vulnerable Pelicans defense.
Why Pelicans Might Cover the Spread
After a ten-game losing streak, the Pelicans responded with two straight wins and entered tonight’s game seemingly back on track. New Orleans features a solid offense that ranks 10th in scoring at 115.5 PPG. They do a great job attacking the rim, ranking fifth with 55.2 points in the paint per game. In that sense, New Orleans is a strong rebounding team ranking seventh in total rebounds (52.9 RPG). Ranked in the top ten in both offensive and defensive rebound rates, the Pelicans’ ability to dominate the cup gives them a great opportunity to cover tonight as slight home favorites.
New Orleans has gotten a huge boost thanks to the return of Brandon Ingram. Ingram has been rock solid since he returned from injury, averaging 22.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 5.8 APG in his previous five games. After missing out on an extended period of time, Ingram finally seems to have recaptured his former glory. He is coming off a stellar game against the Lakers that saw him put up 35 points on 54% shooting. Look to Ingram for another big night against Atlanta’s bottom ten defense.
As good as Ingram has been, teammate Trey Murphy’s play will be a big X factor tonight. Murphy took a big step forward with Ingram and Zion Williamson out and has continued that strong play even with the former back in the lineup. In his last two games, Murphy averaged five en route to 25.5 PPG. The three-and-D end is shooting an incredible 70% from the floor during that span and should help take some of the offensive pressure off of Ingram.
Hawks-Pelicans Final Pick and Prediction
With Ingram’s return and the Pelicans back on track, I like New Orleans to take care of business at home tonight.
Hawks-Pelicans Final Pick and Prediction: New Orleans Pelicans -2 (-110)
