Golden State Warriors at Atlanta Hawks
Time: 7:30 PM ET
TV: NBA League Pass
Spread: GSW -2.5
Total: 215
Betting odds c/o Bovada
The Golden State Warriors lead the West. The Atlanta Hawks lead the East. Could this really be an unheralded showdown between the two teams that will clash in the 2015 NBA Finals?
Most like to chatter about LeBron James and the Cavs, or Kevin Durant and the Thunder…but, on the basis of records, these are the two opponents we should be anticipating this June. NBA oddsmakers set the NBA daily lines showing the Warriors as 2.5-point favorites in the game.
The total is set at 215, which is reasonable given the efficiency and three-point shooting of these offensive units. NBA odds are explained here on Maddux Sports.
The Hawks have stormed out to a 41-9 mark (.820) and been dubbed by many as the “Spurs of the East.” The Hawks are 24-3 at home this season with a 13-3 SU mark against Western Conference foes. The Hawks recently had an 18-game win streak snapped at the hands of Anthony Davis and the Pelicans on Monday (Feb 2) night but came back to beat the Washington Wizards Wed (Feb 4) eve.
Jeff Teague scored 26 in the ‘W’ while limiting the explosive John Wall to 24 points. Al Horford had a big night as well, scoring 21 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, six of which came on the offensive glass.
DeMarre Carroll had an exceptional game, despite “only” scoring 14 points. He limited Paul Pierce to just about nothing, as Pierce got off just five shots and missed four of them. While aged Pierce is hardly the threat he once was in Boston, the Wizards are a beatable team if the No. 3 option is shut down. It also didn’t hurt that the Hawks forced Bradley Beal into missing all four of his threes while connecting on 11 of 25 itself. Taking away a poor night from Kyle Korver (1 of 6) and the rest of the Hawks hit 10 of 19. That’s pretty uncanny.
Given that Korver won’t have those type of nights often, and it’s easy to see why the Hawks are as tough as they are this season.
Further adding to the “Spurs of the East” label is the fact that the Hawks are 2nd in the NBA in assists per game tis season, averaging 25 per game while scoring 103.4 points per game. The offense is that solid and the defense has been very stingy to aid it. The Hawks are 3rd in the league in opponent scoring, giving up just 96.5 per game. It’s most impressive considering the fact that the Hawks have both and undersized center and undersized power forward.
It just goes to show that stature can mean very little when teams play with heart and intensity as the Hawks have this season. Many may not be clamoring to hear Jeff Teague and Al Horford are the All-Stars that will reprsesent the East in the Finals, but it may be the best chance that the East has to win a title this season.
The Golden State Warriors have just become the most exciting draw in the NBA. The team is 39-8 (.830) and is 16-6 SU on the road and 14-1 SU vs Eastern Conference teams.
Klay Thompson is a name that is becoming a household name after he dropped an astounding 37 points in a single quarter. He was so hot he didn’t even realize while playing the sheer insanity of what he had done; he later stared at a stat sheet as though awakening from a crazy dream. Combining that kind of shooting with a guy who was already being labeled by some as the best shooting in NBA history in Stephen Curry, and the Warriors are just dangerous.
The team is dangerous just based on the duo alone. And yet, they are not alone. The Warriors are replete with talent through the entire roster, and the fact that the team has the league’s best record is even more impressive when considering the Warriors have been without two-time All-Star David Lee for the majority of the season.
Michigan State product Draymond Green has stepped up as an unorthdox answer at the 4-spot and the Warriors have thrived. Harrison Barnes hasn’t demonstrated a ton of improvement, but he’s still useful as a utility defender.
Defense is Andrew Bogut’s calling card. While the Warriors may score a ton, the team is among the best defending teams in the Association and the Bulls are in for a tough time in this one. While the 11-point spread may be generous, there is no telling what the Warriors could do to any team on any given night with the recent explosion by its young 2-guard, the son of NBA Lakers legend Mychael Thompson. Mychael may have been a great NBA big man, but Thompson is the one who earned an All-Star bid in this league. Thompson and the Warriors will have a chance to make a big statement tonight, as the Hawks are the team to beat in the East.
