Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal series between the Washington Wizards (52-39 SU, 40-48-3 ATS) and the Atlanta Hawks (67-26 SU, 54-37-2 ATS) was a tough one to watch.
However, don't just go assuming that Game 6 is destined to be another low-scoring snore fest as Wednesday's 82-81 game turned out to be.
TURNOVER TROUBLES
In Games 1 through 4 in this series, these two teams averaged a total of 25.3 turnovers per game. That's a modest number by NBA standards, but it certainly isn't so low that you would think there has to be a regression to the mean.
What we saw in Game 5 though, was just ridiculous. Atlanta turned the ball over 25 times by itself, while Washington chipped in with 19 turnovers, many of which were relatively unforced errors.
All of the turnovers just killed the pace of Game 5 entirely, and neither team got into an offensive rhythm. The Hawks did a little bit better job holding onto the ball when Jeff Teague came out of the game and was replaced by Dennis Schroder down the stretch, and they scored 18 points in the final 6:30 of the game after scoring just one point in the first 5:30 of the fourth quarter.
Sure, if both teams are sloppy in Game 6 at the outset, firing away on the under is a really good idea. However, the better bet is clearly on the over in live betting, knowing that the turnovers just can't possibly continue.
THE JOHN WALL EFFECT
John Wall was back on the court in Game 5 of this series, and for all intents and purposes, he willed his team to a big lead in the fourth quarter. No, Wall wasn't strong with the basketball, especially heading to his left thanks to his broken hand, and he did turn the rock over six times by himself.
However, this Washington offense can really scoot when he is on the court. The team was +10 in the fast break department on Wednesday, much of which was thanks to Wall.
The Wizards decided to go small quite a bit against Atlanta in Game 5 of this series, which promoted a lot of running up and down the floor, particularly off of the long misses for the Hawks.
Washington will only get better with Wall getting more time to practice and more time on the court, and he got better and better as Game 5 wore on. Keep an eye on him more than anyone else on the court, as he might be the most important player out there for live betting purposes.
QUIET KORVER BAD NEWS FOR HAWKS
Kyle Korver knocked down 221 three-point shots in the regular season this year. Sure, he's no Stephen Curry, but Korver is the closest thing that Atlanta brings to the table.
In this series though, the wing man has been horrible. He literally has only shot three-pointers in each of the last three games, and he only has a total of five made shots in that span.
We're not really all that sure why Korver is struggling so much either. He has had some decent looks, and there isn't a many on the Wizards who really should be able to stick with him (especially Paul Pierce). The shots though, just aren't falling.
Just be aware that there isn't a man in the NBA who can get on a bigger roll from long range than Korver, perhaps even including the Splash Brothers in Golden State. Korver has historically been a 45+ percent shooter from beyond the arc, and he is due for some big progression towards the mean in the playoffs, where he is shooting 37.6 percent. If (when?) he does start to really get going, you want to be there to bet on the Hawks in live betting.
BookMaker will have the spread for this Friday soiree the night before the game. Now you can wager in-game while the action unfolds with BookMaker's live betting option.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The showdown between the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards will start at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, May 15, 2015, at the Verizon Center in Washington DC. The contest will be broadcast on ESPN.
