Atlanta Hawks vs L.A. Lakers: Spread and Score Predictions
After pulling off one stunning upset in Los Angeles, the Hawks are going for another tonight when the face the Lakers.
Atlanta was a 9.5-point underdog last night vs the Clippers and were without Trae Young, Onyeka Okongwu, Saddiq Bey, and Kobe Bufkin, but they dominated the game and won by 17.
Coming into tonight's game, the injury report is going to be very important. Because it is a back-to-back, the Hawks don't have their injury report right now, and Bogdan Bogdanovic left the game last night and there was no update given on his status.
The Lakers have plenty of injury questions themselves. Cam Reddish, Christian Wood, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Gabe Vincent are all out, while Anthony Davis and LeBron James are questionable for tonight. Keep an eye out to see how the injury report breaks for both teams this afternoon and leading up to the game.
Coming off of losses to Portland and Utah, the performance last night against the Clippers came out of nowhere.
The offense for the Hawks was very good against the Clippers and it came with Dejounte Murray not having to take a lot of shots. Murray has had to be the focal point of the offense and while he has been scoring 30-40 points, it has not been the most efficient way of running the offense. Murray scored 21 points and had 10 assists last night in the win over the Clippers. The Laker's defense is tough, but how tough will be depending on if Davis plays or not.
Bogdanovic had a terrific second quarter last night, scoring 11 points, but that was it for him. He did not do much else outside of the second quarter and left the game late. Keep an eye on his status.
Vit Krejci is continuing to start for the Hawks in the absence of Bey. Krejci is shooting 30% (4-13) from three and has made some improvements as a defender during his time as a starter. Krejci is not asked to do much and is splitting time with De'Andre Hunter, who is playing fantastic.
After an inefficient first game back, Jalen Johnson looked fantastic on both ends of the floor for Atlanta last night. He finished with 18 points on 7-14 shooting as well as grabbing 12 rebounds and dishing out six assists.
Clint Capela has had a double-double in five straight games and he is going to have a chance for another big game tonight. He had 15 points and 13 rebounds last night.
Hunter continues to lead the bench unit and he had another 20-point game last night and shot 8-13 from the field. Hunter has been one of the NBA's best bench players since coming back from his injury and has been shooting exceptionally well.
Bruno Fernando, Garrison Matthews, Wesley Matthews, and Trent Forrest will be the bench unit for the Hawks tonight along with Hunter. Fernando has been solid for the Hawks in Okongwu's absence while both Wesley and Garrison have been giving the Hawks solid three-point shooting.
Mar 13, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) scores a basket on a layup during the first half against Portland Trail Blazers forward Justin Minaya (24), forward Kris Murray (8), and center Deandre Ayton (2) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports
Viewing and Betting Information
Tip-off time: 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Location: Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
Where to Watch: NBA League Pass, Bally Sports Southeast,
Spread and Over/Under: The Hawks will be underdogs on the road tonight, as they are currently 8.5 point underdogs according to the latest odds from the SI Sportsbook and the over/under is set at 225.5.
The injury report is going to be everything in this game. If James and Davis play, I think that the Lakers are likely going to win given that the Hawks are on a back-to-back. If one or both miss the game tonight, Atlanta can certainly win it (they can win either way) but the Lakers have lost two in a row and need to get a win tonight if they want to have a chance to move up. I am assuming that both James and Davis play tonight and the Lakers will get a win against the Hawks.
Final Score: Lakers 118, Hawks 114 (Hawks +8.5, Over 225.5)
