Tuesday night NBA and we will see the Atlanta Hawks take on the Cleveland Cavaliers in game 4 of their best-of-seven series from Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Free Pick to follow. The game has a start time of 8:30 pm (Eastern) and will be televised on TNT. Current Vegas betting odds have Cleveland listed as 8 point favorites, while the total is set at 194.
Analysis: The Hawks didn't play well in their two games at home in this series, but they did play well for much of game 3 on Sunday night, before eventually falling to the Cavs in OT. The Hawks had chances to win the game, but now are looking at being eliminated if they don't win this game. Atlanta has gone 14-6-1 ATS in their last 21 road games vs. a team with a winning home record, but just 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600. The Hawks scored 101.8 ppg on 45.4% shooting overall and 37.3% shooting from long range on the road this year. Defensively they allowed 99.5 ppg on 43.8% shooting overall and 35.3% shooting from long range away from home this year.
The Cleveland Cavaliers are really flexing their muscles right now as they are up 3-0 on the Atlanta hawks and have won the last 2 games without Irving and Love. Can this team be stopped? I don't think the Hawks will be able to do it, especially since no team has ever come back from 3-0 down to win an NBA series. Having the 3-0 lead Cleveland will still probably sit Irving for this game as well. Cleveland has gone 12-5 ATS in their last 17 after allowing 100 points or more in their previous game, but just 4-10 ATS in their last 14 games playing on 1 days rest. The Cavaliers have been a good offensive team at home this year, scoring 103.6 ppg on 46.5% shooting overall and 38.4% shooting from long range. Defensively the Cavaliers have been solid at home, where they have allowed just 96.4 ppg on 46.2% shooting overall and 35.1% shooting from long range.
Pick: I will look to the Under in this game. The Cavs nearly lost game 2 because they allowed the Hawks to get the game in an uptempo pace. That won't happen here. Both teams really lost their defensive focus in game 3, but I expect them to get it back tonight. The Hawks are missing Kyle Korver again, while Kyrie Irving is listed as questionable, but I just can't see him playing here, especially with the Cavs up 3-0 in the series. I see this one reverting back to the way the first 2 games in the series were played.
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The Hawks Can Hang with the Cavaliers to Game 7--Buy/Sell?
Pro handicappers Steve Fezzik and Teddy Covers debate whether or not the Atlanta Hawks can contend with the Cleveland Cavaliers to make the 2015 NBA Eastern Conference finals a seven-game series. Fezzik thinks the Cavs will win in six, pointing out that neither he nor Teddy thought the Hawks would even advance to the finals in the first place. As Fezzik says, were it not for a lucky Paul Pierce three-pointer and John Wall's broken hand, they would be talking about a better team, the Washington Wizards, not the Hawks. Teddy likes the Hawks against the spread though, pointing out they are able to win on the road, even though Fezzik claims the refs will be against them. With one road win and likely two home victories, Teddy thinks a Game 7 could easily happen, while Fezzik thinks the Hawks are a pro basketball longshot.