Spread & Over/Under Predictions For Hawks vs Pacers

The Atlanta Hawks continue their four-game road trip tonight when they face the Indiana Pacers. Atlanta is of course going to be without Trae Young, but the Pacers have their own injury issues to worry about. This team looks nothing like the one that had made back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals and it might be a tough season for Rick Carlisle's team.

Even without Young, the Hawks are the favorites in tonight's game and it will be interesting to see how they operate without him. Young is one of the best ball handlers and play makers in the NBA and he takes up a lot of the usage on offense. I look for Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Keaton Wallace, and possibly Vit Krejci to take those duties.

Who has the edge?

Dyson Daniels Atlanta Hawk — Oct 29, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) drives past Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney (21) and center Day'Ron Sharpe (20) in the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Our own Rohan Raman previewed the game and talked about why the Hawks could win tonight:

"The Hawks have been far from perfect to begin the season, but they've gotten fairly consistent production from their centers. That continued against the Nets, where both Kristaps Porzingis and Onyeka Okongwu had good games. Porzingis did a nice job of stepping into the vacated playmaking role left by Young's injury, dishing out seven assists as an offensive hub. He only connected on two of his seven three-point attempts, but he's still shooting 45% from deep on the year. Okongwu took a different approach - he dominated on the boards with a 12 point, 14 rebound double-double. It's his third straight game with 10+ rebounds, which has been a good complement to Porzingis' perimeter-based skillset.

Although it's somewhat mitigated by the loss of Young, Indiana has struggled to refrain from fouling. They're 30th in opponent free throw attempted rate and frequently put teams at the line. Atlanta's 19th in FTA rate, so it isn't a massive mismatch. However, they haven't faced a team that fouls quite as much as the Pacers. If the Hawks can convert on their free throws, it'd be a big advantage over Indiana.

While it wasn't instant, Atlanta's role players are finally starting to round into their expected form. Kennard stepped into a bigger role versus Brooklyn because of Young's absence and feasted, going 4-5 from deep and scoring 17 points alongside two assists. If he can take on a bigger playmaking role while picking his spots well from deep, the offense might be able to survive quite well without Trae. Alexander-Walker also has begun to look like the two-way wing the Hawks expected to acquire. He ut finished with 18 points, 11 of which came in the second half, while grabbing three rebounds and dishing out three assists. His defense was especially impressive - NAW got two steals and blocked three shots while closing the game on Cam Thomas. Tonight's game will be a test of how much Atlanta has improved their depth. If they can beat the teams they are supposed to with or without Trae Young, that bodes well for their long-term upside."

The Hawks will be favored on the road tonight as they are currently 2.5 point favorites according to the latest odds from the Fanduel Sportsbook, and the over/under is set at 230.5.

Can the Hawks overcome the absence of Young tonight? I think they can, but they are going to have to win with their defense, which has not been stellar to start the season. This is going to be an interesting matchup tonight, but I think the Hawks have higher-end talent on the floor than Indiana. Hawks get their first winning streak of the season.

Final: Hawks 122, Pacers 115 (ATL -2.5 and Over)

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Who has the edge?

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