Atlanta must play this game and is similarly jockeying for playoff positioning, so both sides may have something to play for in this one. While Indiana has won three straight heading into this matchup, it has a tough matchup and could have trouble wrapping up the win.
The Pacers have a large range of outcomes available to them with only two games remaining, able to finish in several different spots in the Eastern Conference seedings or out of the playoffs entirely, so they are hoping to play well to wrap up the season.
This war on the floor will go down Wednesday, April 12, 2017, at 8 p.m. ET at the Banker’s Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The game will be televised live on ESPN.
We'll have NBA odds at BookMaker.eu available for this and every game on the NBA Wednesday schedule.
NBA Odds
The Pacers are 40-40 straight up and 37-43 against the spread. They have played in 40 home games this season and have covered in 22 of them. Indiana is 18-23 against the spread as the underdog and 19-20 against the spread as the favorite on the season.
The Hawks are 41-38 straight up and 37-42 against the spread. Atlanta has played in 40 games on the road, covering in 22 of those. The Hawks are 20-32 against the spread as the favorite this season and 17-10 as the underdog, and it will be interesting to see where the spread comes in for this matchup.
Key Stat
Two. That’s the number of games which separates the Pacers from both the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference and sitting outside of the playoffs. Right now, the team is in seventh place and in a good spot to make the postseason, but a poor finish can change things.
Indiana recently lost four straight games to put it in a perilous position, but bounced back with victories over the Raptors, Bucks and Magic to charge back up the standings.
They have a game against the lowly 76ers before this showdown, and they should be able to take advantage of that and come away with the victory. A win there may clinch their spot, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to win out in order to climb as high as they can in the standings.
Scheduling Situation
The Hawks have been riding high of late and would love to finish off the regular season with some big-time momentum. They have picked up wins over the Celtics and Cavaliers twice in their past three games, proving that they could be a tough out in the postseason.
The three-game winning streak makes it likely the Hawks slot in as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but they need to keep winning to secure that spot.
Atlanta’s offense is in the middle of the pack over the season but it has been really impressive of late, as the Hawks have scored 123 points, 114 points and 126 points in their last three outings. If they keep this up, nobody will want to see them in the postseason.
Free NBA ATS Pick
The Pacers have looked good of late, but the Hawks are the stronger team overall. Atlanta has to play on the road, and even though Indiana will be pushing hard for the victory, expect the Hawks to come away victorious.
The recent offensive explosion for Atlanta is something to keep in mind when it comes to the scoring total. This one could easily hit the “over” if the Hawks and Pacers get into a back-and-forth affair.
NBA Odds: Hawks 113, Pacers 108
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