There is a loaded slate of NBA games set to take place on Friday night, and there are some interesting matchups included. One of those interesting matchups will take place in Atlanta as the Hawks are set to host the Phoenix Suns.
Phoenix will be coming into this game with some momentum as they have won two straight games to get to 28-20 on the year. Not everything has gone well for the Suns this season, but they are now looking like a serious playoff contender in the Western Conference.
Things have not been going well for the Atlanta Hawks this season as they are sitting at just 20-27 on the year. The Hawks have won two straight games ahead of this matchup, and that will at least give them some momentum.
The Phoenix Suns are 3.5-point betting favorites over the Atlanta Hawks in this NBA showdown on Friday night.
Suns Can Shoot the Ball
The Phoenix Suns have a ton of talent on the offensive end of the floor this season as they now have three players scoring at least 17 points per game. Phoenix is shooting just under 38 percent from the three-point line, and that is something that makes them dangerous.
Kevin Durant is having a huge season for the Suns as he is scoring 28.4 points a game this season to set the tone. Devin Booker is another player that can take over a game as he is averaging 28.3 points per night.
Protecting the paint is not something that the Suns do well, and that will be something to watch in this game. The Suns can’t solely rely on shooting to win games, especially on the road.
Hawks Have to Defend
When looking at the offensive numbers for the Atlanta Hawks this season, you would be shocked to see them well under the .500 mark. Atlanta is scoring 120.6 points per game this season, but they just haven’t been able to get stops when needed.
Keeping the best players on the floor has been a big issue for the Hawks as they always seem to be playing without some top talent. Trae Young is leading the team with 27 points per game this season, but he can’t afford to battle injuries.
The Hawks are going to have a tough time slowing down the Suns, but they are capable of keeping pace if it turns into a shootout.
Suns Slip Past the Hawks
The Phoenix Suns have not been blowing teams out during this recent hot streak, but they have been finding ways to win big games. That is going to be the strategy in this game as well, and they have enough talent on offense to do just that.
Atlanta hasn’t been able to stop anyone this season, and slowing down one of the best teams in the league is going to be a serious challenge. The Hawks will try to shoot their way to a win, but they are ultimately going to come up short.
Bet on the Phoenix Suns to win this game by at least four points as they find a way to pick up a huge road win.
