Both are over .500 and each would be in playoff position if the season ended today, but neither the Pacers nor the Hawks are playing their best basketball right now. Indiana got the better of the Hawks on Thursday. A week later, Atlanta gets to host.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
Atlanta snapped a three game losing streak and got just its second win in the last seven games both SU and ATS on Monday night.
Indiana’s win over Atlanta a week ago was the first of back-to-back ATS wins, but that success didn’t last thanks to a 111-106 loss to Cleveland. The Pacers are now just 3-7 SU and 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games.
WHEN THE INDIANA PACERS ARE ON OFFENSE
Paul George is the heart of Indiana’s offense, averaging 23.2 PPG as a formidable presence inside. Monta Ellis and George Hill, meanwhile, offer solid production from the backcourt.
Some of the team’s big men in Jordan Hill, Myles Turner and Ian Mahinmi offer strong shooting percentages from the floor, each over 50 percent. That trio is a bit of an anomaly for this team as they’re just an average shooting team, though they’re above average in their scoring ranking eighth in the NBA with 102.7 PPG.
The Hawks’ defense provides a nice challenge for the Pacers as they're amongst the top-10 in fewest PPG allowed and field percentage allowed. Paul Millsap and Al Horford will do their best to hold George at bay with each being good blockers and rebounders.
Atlanta was able to hold George to just 11-points on January 28, but in doing so, they left Myles Turner and Monta Ellis open. Turner scored 20-points shooting 9-for-17 while Ellis led the team with 25-points. Hill added 18 of his own while securing eight rebounds on the defensive end of the court.
Don’t look for George to be as quiet in this game, but watch for how Atlanta approaches the rest of the team. While George should shoot better than 2-for-11 from the floor, the rest of the team will need to produce, too.
Watch Hill, Ellis and Turner early to see if the Hawks were able to make adjustments or if they’re still getting plenty of good looks.
WHEN THE ATLANTA HAWKS ARE ON OFFENSE
Ranked eighth in shooting percentage in the NBA, the Pacers were able to hold the Hawks under 40 percent shooting in their most recent head-to-head battle.
Of course, in that game, the Hawks only got a little over 13 minutes from Paul Millsap due to an ankle injury. The power forward is key to the team’s offense with 17.8 PPG. He scored just four points in those 13 minutes, but rebounded in his next game for 17-points.
Watch Millsap closely in the early going on Friday. The forward could be a big difference maker if he’s able to play most of the game.
Outside Millsap, the team has four others scoring at least 10.8 PPG and guard Kyle Korver is sitting at 9.3 PPG.
The Hawks have offensive depth. It’ll be up to the Pacers to slow them down with them possessing the defense to do it. They allowed just 92 points last week and rank in the top-5 defending the 3-ball and are in the top-10 in PPG allowed.
BETTING TRENDS AND MATCHUPS
If you’re looking to play on the total, keep an eye on the Hawks offense. We already saw the Pacers put up 111 on Atlanta last week. If Atlanta can provide a bit more offense with a big first half from Millsap, bank on the over.
Likewise, if Indiana struggles to score early, look to take advantage of the drop in total. Paul George should end up with better numbers on Friday than he had against them last week and he’s got help that lifted the team to 111 points while he was cold.
As for the matchups, each team has a star forward leading the charge and intriguing guards like Ellis and Teague. So the real difference makers on Friday are the big men in the middle. For Atlanta, that’s Al Horford. The center is the team’s second leading scorer with 15.1 PPG and a big part of the game in terms of blocks and rebounds.
He gives Atlanta a clear edge, but watch for how well Jordan Hill and, if healthy, Ian Mahinmi match up.
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Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks square off on Friday, February 5, 2016, at 7 p.m. ET at Philips Arena. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
