An enticing matchup in the NBA is bound to set the roof on fire, as the Chris Paul-led Los Angeles Clippers square off with the Atlanta Hawks for the first time this season. Expect this encounter to go straight down the wire with both squads looking to make a run before the first half of the season comes to an end. Who will get the better of the other?
[sc:NBA250 ]Read on below for a complete breakdown of this game. And if you’re craving for some NHL action as well, click here for our detailed preview of the Philadelphia Flyers vs. Washington Capitals.
[sc:NBAArticles ]Los Angeles Clippers vs. Atlanta Hawks Betting Preview
Where: Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia
When: Wednesday, January 27, 2016, 8:00 PM ET
Line: Los Angeles Clippers (+3) at Atlanta Hawks (-3); total: 207.5 – view all NBA lines
TV Broadcast: PRIME, FSS
Betting on the Los Angeles Clippers (29-16)
[sc:NBA250 ]Mission accomplished. The Los Angeles Clippers took care of business at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse last night by getting the thrilling 91-89 win over the Pacers. As expected, Chris Paul filled up the stat sheet again with 26 points, six boards and seven dimes across his name. He and the rest of the Clippers will now look to finish off their five-game road trip on a strong note opposite the Atlanta Hawks tonight.
Fatigue might be an issue here, though, especially with the Clippers, who are 8-2 SU and 7-3 ATS in their past 10 road games, only having less than 24 hours of rest. That said, Paul will really need his teammates to step it up and help him lead the charge on offense versus a solid Atlanta defense.
Jamal Crawford and Wesley Johnson are going to be key factors in this matchup. The two have been providing solid contributions off the bench lately. Johnson, in particular, has put up double-figure numbers in three of his previous five games and is averaging 10.0 points during that stretch.
Crawford, meanwhile, has only put up 12 points combined in his last two outings. But he should be able to bounce back later as he’s fared relatively well against the Hawks in his career, tallying 12.7 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists across 37 games.
As for the defense, the pressure is on DeAndre Jordan, who ranks third in the league in blocks (2.2 BPG), to prevent any easy shots near the cup. He’ll really have to impose his defensive prowess here since the Hawks are posting 44.7 points in the paint per game this season.
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Betting on the Atlanta Hawks (27-19)
After losing back-to-back games to Sacramento and Phoenix, the Atlanta Hawks got back on track on Monday night opposite the Nuggets with a resounding 119-105 triumph. In that game, three starters finished in double-figure and it was Paul Millsap who led the way for his team.
Millsap, the Hawks’ leading scorer (18.4) this season, garnered 22 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block under his belt. Not to be outdone was the pair of Al Horford and Jeff Teague who contributed 18 points and 12 points respectively.
Teague, in particular, had a more balanced game as he made sure to make plays for his teammates with a game-high of 10 dimes. On the season, the 27-year-old point guard is tallying 14.3 points and a team-best of 5.6 assists.
Moving forward, the Hawks now prepare themselves for an interesting collision with the Los Angeles Clippers tonight. Atlanta is 7-3 SU and 5-4-1 ATS in its last 10 games at Philips Arena.
For the Hawks to pick up the win here, they’ll need to Millsap and co. to deliver the goods on offense once again. But more importantly, their defense (100.0 points allowed per game) also needs to be at its best since they’ll be matching up with an offensive-minded squad. The Clippers are racking up 104.7 points this season, the sixth-highest in the NBA today.
In short, so long as the Hawks play with a lot of intensity on both sides of the court, this game’s bound to fall in their hands down the stretch.
Writer’s Prediction
Atlanta (-3) beats the Clippers by single-digits. Create a betting account now and put your NBA predictions to the test!
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