2015 NBA Playoffs
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
#1 Atlanta Hawks at #8 Brooklyn Nets
Hawks Lead Best of Seven Series 2-1
Game #4 Barclays Center – Brooklyn, New York
Monday, April 27, 2015, 7:05 pm Eastern, TV: NBA TV
Opening Line: Atlanta -3 1/2
Current Line: Atlanta -4 1/2
Opening Total: 196
Current Total: 196 1/2
Opening Money Line: Hawks -180 / Nets +155
Current Money Line: Hawks -185 / Nets +160
After two narrow losses in Atlanta, the #8 seed Brooklyn Nets got back into the series against the #1 seed Hawks in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Game four is Monday in Brooklyn. The Hawks can take a 3-1 series lead with a win or the Nets can even the series with a win.
Atlanta won game one 99-92 and game two 96-91. The series shifted to Brooklyn for game #3 Saturday. The Nets won game three 91-83. The Nets took a 15 point lead at the end of the first quarter, but Atlanta trimmed the lead to 7 at halftime.
Atlanta went on an 11-0 run to take a 62-58 lead in the third quarter, their first lead since the opening basket. However, Brooklyn then went on an 18-0 run spanning the third and fourth quarters to take control of the game. Broklyn would hold on for the 8 point win. Both teams shot under 40% from the field but Atlanta was just over 35% from the field.
Brooklyn center Brook Lopez had 22 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocks. Bojan Bogdanovic had 19 points, 3 rebounds and 3 steals. Thaddeus Young had 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists. Joe Johnson had 16 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and two steals.
Atlanta forward DeMarre Carroll had 22 points and 6 rebounds. Paul Millsap had 18 points, 17 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 assists. Jeff Teague had 12 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 steals. No other Hawk had more than 7 points.
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The 60-22 Atlanta Hawks have the second best record in basketball behind the Golden State Warriors who are 67-15. The Hawks won the Southeast Division by 14 games over the Washington Wizards and are the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference by 7 games over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Atlanta is coached by Mike Budenholzer, who was named NBA coach of the year last week. The Hawks had never won 60 games in a season before this year. It was also their first division title since 1994. Atlanta is in the playoffs for the eighth straight season but they have never made it past the second round during that run.
Brooklyn, coached by Lionel Hollins, finished third in the Atlantic Division 11 games behind Toronto. When Hollins was head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies, the Grizzlies twice came back from 0-2 series deficits to win the series. The Nets tied with the Indiana Pacers for the last playoff spot in the East, but the Nets won the head to head tiebreaker. Brooklyn is in the playoffs for the third straight season.
Brooklyn is 42-41-2 ATS and the total is 37-48 this season. The Nets were 3.5 point underdogs in game #3 and the total was 199. The Hawks are 50-33-2 this season and the total is 42-43.
Atlanta is outscoring teams 103-97 this season. The Hawks are in the top ten in both categories. Atlanta is shooting 46.6% from the field and 38% from 3 point range. The Hawks are #4 or better in both categories. Atlanta is #5 in free throw shooting at 77.5% from the line. Opponents are shooting 43.9% from the field and 34.1% from 3 point range. The Hawks are #7 or better in both categories. Atlanta averages 40.6 rebounds and opponents average 43.6 per game. The Hawks are #28 in rebounding. Atlanta averages 25.7 assists, 13.5 turnovers, 9.1 steals and 4.6 blocks per game.
Paul Millsap averages 16.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He is probable with a shoulder injury. He struggled in game one going only 2/11 from the field with 6 points in his first game back after the injury. Jeff Teague averages 15.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Al Horford averages 15.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game. Horford suffered a dislocated pinky in game one and has his hand taped but is probable. DeMarre Carroll averages 12.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game. Kyle Korver averages 12.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists. Dennis Schroder averages 10 points, 2.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Thabo Sefolosha is out for the season with a broken leg.
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Brooklyn is being outscored 101-98 this season. The Nets are shooting 45.3% from the field and 33% from 3 point range. The Nets make 75% of their free throws. Opponents are shooting 45.5% from the field and 38.8% from 3 point range. Brooklyn averages 43.2 rebounds per game and opponents average 44.2 rebounds per game. The Nets average 20.9 assists, 13.4 turnovers, 7 steals and 4.2 blocks per game.
Brook Lopez averages 17.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Joe Johnson averages 14.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Johnson was an all-star player for the Hawks until 2012 when he signed with the Nets. Deron Williams averages 13.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game. He is questionable with a back injury. Jarrett Jack averages 11.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game. Mirza Teletovic returned in game two after missing more than two months with blood clots in his lungs. Sergey Karasev is out for the season with a knee injury.
Atlanta is 20-6 ATS in Monday games, 3-1-1 on one day rest, 3-7-1 against teams with losing road records, 1-4-1 in road games, 0-5 in first round games, 0-4 after failing to cover, against teams with losing records, and against Atlantic teams, 0-5-1 overall and against Eastern Conference teams. The road team is 7-2 ATS in this series recently. The Hawks are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games in Brooklyn.
Brooklyn is 6-0 ATS in first round games, 5-0 against Southeast teams, 4-0 overall and against Eastern Conference teams, 4-1 against teams with winning records, 7-2-1 at home and on one day rest, and 7-2 against teams with winning road records. The under is 4-1 in this series recently in Brooklyn. The underdog has covered the last 4 games in this series.
