LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers (62-31 SU, 45-48 ATS) did the job in Game 1 of this best-of-seven series to put the Atlanta Hawks (68-27 SU, 55-38-2 ATS) in a world of hurt. This series could essentially all be over through just two games if the Cavs can win Game 2 in Atlanta.
ODDS ANALYSIS
By and large, the Cavs were the better of these two teams by a relatively comfortable margin through the majority of Game 1 to lead to a 97-89 triumph. As a result, the oddsmakers have reacted, moving the spread from Cleveland +2.5 to Cleveland -1 for Game 2, a number which bettors are happily buying into.
The total has dipped from 199.5 to 197.
INJURY REPORT
DeMarre Carroll suffered a knee injury at the end of Game 1, and that could prove to be really bad news for the Hawks. Carroll has been their best scorer here in the postseason, but more importantly, he is the only man on the team who really meets the body type requirements to defend James. If Carroll doesn't play, the Hawks are in deep trouble.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"DeMarre is a complete player. He has a big impact at both ends of the court. We'll miss him if he can't play Friday." – Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer on Carroll and what he brings to the team
BETTING TRENDS
- The Cavaliers are 3-9 ATS in their last 12 games playing on just one day of rest.
- The Hawks are 4-0 ATS in their last four games following an ATS defeat. They haven't failed to cover two straight games here in the postseason.
- The UNDER is 6-1 in Cleveland's last seven road games overall.
KEY STATS
+9: Cleveland's margin in Game 1 in second chance points. The Cavaliers had 12 offensive rebounds, and they turned so many of those boards into points which Atlanta could have avoided conceding had it just boxed out properly. However, this is a quiet problem the Hawks have had all season long but have managed to not get sunk by. If Carroll doesn't play, asking Paul Millsap and Al Horford to do more on the glass is going to be tough.
17.4 percent: Atlanta's three-point shooting percentage in Game 1. The Cavaliers have a fantastic perimeter defense, and we largely knew that this was going to be a challenge for the Hawks. However, it should be encouraging that they stuck around in that first game in spite of the fact that they could hit the broad side of a barn from downtown for the whole game.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
That's why we like Atlanta in Game 2 even if Carroll doesn't play. LeBron, in all of his greatness, did shoot just 12-of-26 from the floor in Game 1, and he just doesn't look totally right with a foot injury. Kyrie Irving isn't quite healthy either, and the rest of this team just isn't all that great.
The Hawks will hit some threes on Friday night, certainly more than the 4-for-23 they shot in Game 1, and that parlayed with Budenholzer's ability to make changes on the fly better than most coaches in this league will send the hosts to a series-tying win.
Atlanta 102, Cleveland 95
BookMaker sent out the NBA odds for this Friday game before anyone else in the industry. Cleveland was lined at -1.5 alongside a total of 197. Live wagering during commercials offers an adjusted moneyline, totals and spreads. Log in, and start gambling during the game now!
Access live betting from your mobile device or tablet at BookMaker Sportsbook! You can wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker's live betting platform. Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneylines are all available by clicking here, so start betting with BookMaker right now! Bet on the NBA today as the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Atlanta Hawks square off Friday, May 22, 2015 at 8:30 p.m. ET at Phillips Arena in Atlanta, GA. The matchup will be televised nationally on TNT.