The Miami Heat travel to State Farm Arena to play the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, April 18. This is the final play-in game for the Eastern Conference. The winner will move on to face the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
Atlanta finished the regular season 40-42 and earned home court. Miami ended at 37-45 after beating the Bulls in a do-or-die matchup. These teams split their season series 2-2, with every win going to the home team by double digits.
Hawks Preview – Needing a Bounce Back at Home
The Hawks lost their last game to Orlando 120-95. Trae Young was held to 28 points and was ejected in the second half. He had 36 points in the game before that against Philadelphia and averaged just 13.0 points in his first three games against Miami.
Injuries are a concern for Atlanta. Clint Capela is out with a hand injury, and Jalen Johnson is out for the year. De’Andre Hunter was traded, and rookie Zaccharie Risacher struggled in his last outing, going 2-for-10 with 7 points.
Onyeka Okongwu will need to play a bigger role inside. He had 11 points and 9 rebounds in the loss to Orlando. Dyson Daniels could be key on defense again after holding Tyler Herro in check during a February win.
Heat Preview – Riding Herro’s Hot Hand
The Heat come in with momentum after beating Chicago 109-90. Tyler Herro scored 38 points and has now put up 20 or more in 10 straight games. He had 30.0 points per game in Miami’s two home wins over Atlanta this season.
Bam Adebayo had 15 points and 12 rebounds in the Chicago win. Andrew Wiggins added 20 points and 9 rebounds. Kevin Ware also helped on the glass, grabbing 9 boards in limited minutes.
Miami is missing some depth with Dennis Smith Jr. out and Nikola Jovic and Kevin Love listed as day-to-day. The team has struggled on the road this season, but they’ve covered the first quarter spread in 23 of their last 27 away games.
Betting Prediction
Atlanta is favored by 1.5 points at home, with the total set at 219.5. Home court has mattered in this matchup, with each home team winning by double digits in all four games this season. But the Heat have a hot scorer and more momentum right now.
Herro is playing his best basketball of the season. Atlanta has struggled to cover the third quarter spread and just lost badly on the road. This looks like a game where Miami can carry over their recent form and pull off a road win.
Pick: Miami Heat +1.5 over Atlanta Hawks
Really excited for this game. These two teams know each other well. The winner of this game gets a shot at the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the postseason. In the end, the Heat are going to win this game, and move on. Take Miami on the road. Enjoy the game!
