The Washington Wizards have been dynamite at home this season and hope to continue that theme in a matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. Both teams are jostling for position in the middle of the Eastern Conference playoff picture and could each really use the victory.
The Wizards have the better record and the home court advantage so it will certainly be the favorite. Atlanta has equipped itself pretty well on the road this year and would love to spring the upset, but it won’t be easy.
Washington has found a groove of late and is making a push for the No. 2 seed in the East. It must play well down the stretch to catch the Celtics and games like this are imperative.
This war on the floor will go down Wednesday, March 22, 2017, at 8 p.m. ET at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The game will be televised live on ESPN.
We'll have NBA odds available for this and every game on the NBA Wednesday schedule.
Odds Analysis
The Wizards are 42-27 straight up and 36-32-1 against the spread. They are 27-10 straight up at home and have gone 21-16 against the spread. Washington has played in 32 games as the favorite this season and has gone 22-19-1 against the spread in those contests.
The Hawks are 37-32 straight up and 31-38 against the spread. They have done better against the spread on the road than at home, covering in 17 of 33 attempts in hostile arenas. Atlanta is 12-9 against the spread as the underdog on the season.
Letdown Situation
The Wizards have a gargantuan showdown with the Celtics in the game before this one. They trail Boston by 1.5 games for the second seed in the East, and that’s important as it could decide home court advantage if these two teams meet in the second round of the postseason.
Washington will be on the road for that one before heading home to take on Atlanta. The Wizards will undoubtedly be amped up for the game against Boston, but it could take a lot of energy and mental focus. There must be a concern that, even with a day off in between, the Wizards may not be sharp for this one.
The Hawks are another playoff team but the game doesn’t have the same cachet as the previous one against the Celtics.
Player to Watch
John Wall -- The Wizards’ point guard is having one of his finest all-around seasons and will be the player that the Hawks must keep an eye on. He is averaging 23.0 points, 10.8 assists and 1.9 steals per contest.
Wall had 14 points and 20 assists in the team’s most recent win over the Bulls and had 39 points in a win over the Trail Blazers a few games before that, showing he can take over games in multiple ways. The Hawks may be hard-pressed to keep Wall in check as he is in his physical prime and taking over games at will these days.
Free NBA ATS Pick
The Hawks are five games over .500 but have a point-differential of minus-0.9 on the season, which means they have been a bit lucky. Atlanta traded Kyle Korver during the season, likely signalling that it doesn’t consider itself a contender this season.
The Wizards, meanwhile, believe they can make a move this postseason, proving that they deserve to be mentioned among the East’s elite teams. This is an important game for Washington to keep pace with the Celtics in the conference.
Washington may not be particularly sharp the whole way but should have enough to pick up a win with some big plays down the stretch. Keep an eye on the spread as this outcome may be larger than expected.
NBA Odds: Wizards 109, Hawks 100
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