Game Two Preview: Atlanta Hawks at Miami Heat

Hawks at Heat Gameday Preview

Scouting Report

Put simply; the Hawks got mauled in Game One. Not only did the Heat beat the 8-seed, but at times, they beat them up. To make matters worse, the Hawks struggled tremendously on both sides of the floor. Trae Young and Bogdan Bogdanovic shot a combined 1-20 FG (0-11 3PT), while Duncan Robinson went 8-9 from deep.

Everything that could go wrong did go wrong on Sunday afternoon. Good thing all that counts for just one victory - a game that was virtually a scheduled loss for the road-weary Hawks.

If you genuinely believe the Hawks two best perimeter scorers will have another historically poor shooting night, then I have a timeshare at Mar-a-Lago to sell you. For everyone else, I think we can expect a much closer game tonight.

Adjustments still need to be made. With no Clint Capela roaming the paint, and John Collins on a minutes restriction, the Hawks can't afford an off-night from anyone. They can't become stagnant on offense as ball movement is the panacea to the Heat's switching and occasional trapping.

On defense, the Hawks guards have to find a way to stick on the best three-point shooting team in the league. Of course, that's all easier said than done. While Hawks head coach Nate McMillan makes adjustments, he's more likely to demand more out of his players than to make radical new schemes.

As I said last night on 92.9 FM The Game, tonight isn't a must-win. But it is a must-improve game. I don't think anything, including another blowout, can break this Hawks team's confidence. But it could and should serve as a strong reminder of what they are up against.

Injury Report

The Heat injury report lists Bam Adebayo (left quad contusion), Dewayne Dedmon (right ankle sprain), Haywood Highsmith (hip flexor strain), Markieff Morris (hip flexor strain), and P.J. Tucker (right calf strain) as questionable. Gabe Vincent (toe) is probable to play.

The Hawks injury report lists Bogdan Bogdanovic (left ankle soreness) as probable. Clint Capela (right knee hyperextension) and Lou Williams (low back discomfort) are out.

Here's a look at Clint Capela doing some physical therapy.

Nate McMillan says he doesn't have a specific timeline for how long Capela will be out, but he will definitely be out for Game 2. pic.twitter.com/OkV1RsRAd4
— Sarah K. Spencer (@sarah_k_spence) April 18, 2022

Odds

SI Sportsbook lists the Heat as 7.5-point favorites and the over/under is set at 218.5 points. It's easy to understand how the oddsmakers came to this conclusion given the Hawks injury woes, and their poor showing on Sunday. But this is a larger spread than what was given for Game One, I anticipate a more competitive game.

Uniforms

Thanks to NBA LockerVision, we know what each team will be wearing so you can plan your gear accordingly. The Hawks will wear their Statement Edition (black) uniforms, while the Heat wear their Association Edition (white) uniforms.

Television, Streaming

Hawks TV Broadcast: Bally Sports Southeast

Heat TV Broadcast: Bally Sports Sun

National Broadcast: TNT

Live Stream: Click here for fuboTV free trial!

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