Philadelphia 76ers at Atlanta Hawks
Saturday, 2/4/12, 7:00 PM EST, TV: SSN
Opening Point Spread: Atlanta -3.5
Current Betting Line: Atlanta -3.5
Opening Total: 180.5
Current Total: 179
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker
Philadelphia had its four-game win streak snapped last night in a 99-79 loss to the Miami Heat as two-point home underdogs. The 76ers have fallen “under” the total in six of their last seven games, failing to score over 100 points since Jan. 23. The team is still 16-7 on the season, but just 4-4 on the road, which includes a 1-2 mark against Eastern Conference opponents. Philadelphia will be looking to win four straight over Atlanta for the first time since 2005. Over the last two-plus seasons, the franchise is 18-11 ATS when playing on Saturdays.
The 76ers haven’t lost back-to-back games this season and currently sit atop the Atlanic Division. Philadelphia leads the league in outscoring opponents by a 10.2-point differential this season, as 14 of its 16 wins have come by a double-digit margin. Offensively, the team will look to get the ball into the hands of Thaddeus Young, who has managed to average 17.3 points on 21-of-37 shooting in his last three games versus the Hawks.
Atlanta will also be looking to bounce back from a loss that snapped a win streak, dropping a 96-77 decision to the Memphis Grizzlies as 4.5-point home favorites last time out. The Hawks have gone “under” the total in three consecutive games. “When you have this kind of season, it happens,” commented Hawks center Zaza Pachulia about the NBA’s schedule due to the lockout. The team has already played 13 games without the services of All-Star center Al Horford due to a torn pectoral muscle. Atlanta is 0-2 ATS as a home favorite of 3.5 to 6 points this season.
The Hawks are hoping that Josh Smith can get things going offensively, totaling just 24 points in his last three games, as he’s averaging 15.2 points a contest during the 2011-12 campaign. Atlanta will likely need him to do so due to leading scorer Joe Johnson’s struggles versus Philadelphia, averaging just 9.0 points on 11-of-30 shooting in his last three games in this Eastern Conference series.
Bettors will likely back the 76ers due to their 7-0 ATS mark following a straight-up loss, while the Hawks are 5-11-1 ATS when playing on one days rest.
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