Nets vs. Hawks Prediction, Odds and Best NBA Prop Bets for Sunday, Feb. 22

In this story:
The Atlanta Hawks have fallen short of expectations this season, as they currently sit in the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference heading into Sunday’s matchup with the tanking Brooklyn Nets.
Brooklyn will have star Michael Porter Jr. active for this game, a sign that it may be able to compete in a road date with the Hawks.
The Nets have dropped three games in a row and seven of their last 10, falling to the No. 14 spot in the Eastern Conference standings. As a result, oddsmakers have set the Hawks as double-digit favorites at home in this matchup.
Can Jalen Johnson and company cover the number?
The Hawks have struggled at home this season, going 10-16 straight up, which is a big reason why they’re under .500.
Let’s take a look at the odds, my favorite player prop and a prediction for this Eastern Conference battle on Feb. 22.
Nets vs. Hawks Odds, Spread and Total
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Spread
- Nets +10.5 (-118)
- Hawks -10.5 (-102)
Moneyline
- Nets: +340
- Hawks: -440
Total
- 228.5 (Over -105/Under -115)
Nets vs. Hawks How to Watch
- Date: Sunday, Feb. 22
- Time: 3:30 p.m. EST
- Venue: State Farm Arena
- How to Watch (TV): YES Network, FanDuel Sports Network (Local)
- Nets record: 15-40
- Hawks record: 27-31
Nets vs. Hawks Injury Reports
Nets Injury Report
- Tyson Etienne – out
- Chaney Johnson – out
- EJ Liddell – out
- Josh Minott – out
- Ben Saraf – out
- Ziaire Williams – out
Hawks Injury Report
- RayJ Dennis – out
- Caleb Houstan – out
- Jonathan Kuminga – out
Nets vs. Hawks Best NBA Prop Bets
Hawks Best NBA Prop Bet
- Jalen Johnson OVER 18.5 Rebounds and Assists (-134)
Earlier today, I shared in my NBA Best Bets column – Peter’s Points – why Johnson is a great prop target against Brooklyn:
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson is averaging 10.7 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game this season, and he’s taking on a Brooklyn Nets team that ranks in the bottom 10 in the NBA in defensive rating and opponent assists per game this season.
I love this prop for Johnson on Sunday, as he’s averaging 12.5 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game in six games this month, clearing this line in four of them and seven of his last 10 games overall.
Johnson has stuffed the stat sheet all season long, and he’s averaging a whopping 16.8 rebound chances and 14.8 potential assists per game this season. That gives him a terrific floor when it comes to this prop.
Nets vs. Hawks Prediction and Pick
I don’t love betting on teams like Brooklyn that aren’t incentivized to win at this point in the season, but I can't pass up the Nets as 10.5-point underdogs against Atlanta on Sunday.
The Hawks have an NBA-worst 2-10 against the spread record when favored at home, and they haven't played well over their last 10 games. The Hawks are just 4-6 during that stretch, ranking 23rd in the NBA in net rating (-5.1).
The Nets haven’t been better, ranking 28th in net rating (-11.6), but I can’t back the Hawks to win by more than 10 points in this matchup. Atlanta is six games under .500 as it is this season, and Brooklyn has at least hung around in games on the road, going 12-15-1 against the spread.
I’ll take the points on Sunday.
Pick: Nets +10.5 (-118 at DraftKings)
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.
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Peter is a senior editor for Sports Illustrated Betting. He has worked as a writer and editor for BetSided, NBC Sports, the Connecticut Sun and the Meriden Record-Journal covering the NBA, WNBA, NFL, MLB, and more. A New York City resident, he is a hoops fanatic with a soft spot for his New York Knicks.
Follow @peterdewey2