Atlanta Hawks at Miami Heat Game 5 Betting Preview
The Atlanta Hawks were able to extend their first-round playoff series with a 111-110 win on Friday, but that joy was short-lived as the Miami Heat came back and flexed their muscles in a 110-86 victory in Game 4. Sunday’s win gave Miami a 3-1 lead as they head back to South Beach and try to close things out.
Each of Miami’s three wins in this series have been by double digits, which gives them a big lean heading back to FTX Arena, where they are 31-12 on the year. The Heat didn’t even have starting PG Kyle Lowry on Sunday as he sat with a hamstring strain – and they still won by 24 points.
Paging Trae Young
It’s no secret that one major factor in the Heat being up 3-1 heading into Game 5 has been their ability to stop dynamic scorer Trae Young. The Atlanta PG has been frustrated by Miami’s #5 defensive unit in this series, being held to 8 points in Game 1 and just 9 in Sunday’s loss.
Young still went for 24.5 ppg in Games 2 and 3 to bring his series average up to 16.5 ppg, but that’s still well below his 28.4 ppg scored during the regular season.
The reason the Heat can afford to give Young so much attention is because nobody else has stepped up for Atlanta. Five other players scored in double figures in the Game 3 win, but nobody had what could be considered a breakout game.
De’Andre Hunter got hot on Sunday with 24 points, but Kevin Knox II was the second-leading scorer with 12 – and he only played just over four minutes.
Heat Want to Close This One Out
Miami wants to avoid the same fate that the Sixers have put themselves in, blowing a chance to close out their series at home on Monday night and now having to head back to Toronto trying to hold on to a 3-2 lead.
With Boston sweeping the Nets and the Bucks on the verge of eliminating the Bulls, there are going to be some Eastern Conference foes that are going to be well-rested heading into the 2nd round and beyond.
Lowry will again be out for Tuesday night’s game with that tricky hamstring, but the Heat showed good depth in Sunday’s win, including Victor Oladipo coming off the bench to post a +/- of +28.
Max Strus had a +34 in his 35 minutes of court time, and when you combine that production with Jimmy Butler going for 35+ points for the second time in the last three games, Miami looks pretty tough to beat.
Hawks/Heat Pick and Prediction
It’s hard to envision Young turning things around too much for Atlanta as this Heat defense is in the groove. Atlanta looked like they gave up on Sunday, at home, and with a chance to tie the series up 2-2, so don’t expect much out of them on the road in Game 5.
Betting Pick: Heat -7.5
