After winning the second game of the series at home, the Philadelphia 76ers head to Atlanta, looking to get a win on the road of their own. The 76ers found a way in game two to lessen the impact of PG Trae Young, and it allowed them to control the pace of the game. With game three being in Atlanta, the 76ers will yet again have to find a way to make Trae Young a “non-factor.”
Although the Hawks lost game two of this series, they have no reason to wave the white flag yet. Their series versus the New York Knicks showed just how easy they could go back to the drawing board and make the proper adjustments. They’ll have to make those same adjustments on Friday, primarily on defense, to secure a win at home.
Both of these teams are fighting for a chance to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals, and a loss here means falling 2-1. For bettors, though, a spread this close means no room for error at the sportsbook.
C Joel Embiid finished Wednesday night with 40-points; can he do the same on Friday?
It’s clear that the Atlanta Hawks are a physically smaller team than the 76ers, and Philadelphia will continue to exploit that until the Hawks adjust. C Joel Embiid closed game two with forty points and thirteen rebounds, overwhelming the smaller forwards pitted against him on Wednesday. Their key to success on Friday is maintaining the same status quo from game two, allowing Embiid to control the court and, therefore, the pace of the game.
Embiid didn’t do it all on his own, though, as he had major help from the bench in the form of PG Shake Milton. That kind of intensity will be needed as they face the Hawks in Atlanta; Philadelphia struggled through the season when on the road, so keep that in mind.
PG Trae Young will look to make more of an impact on Friday
Trae Young finished the game on Wednesday with 21 points, not a terrible total; however, he was awful from beyond the arc. Young shot 1-7 from three, and y the end of the game, it looked as if the Hawks just never got their rhythm together. More devastating news for the Hawks is that forward De’Andre Hunter will miss the rest of the postseason.
Everyone knows the offense of the Atlanta Hawks runs right through Trae Young, but Atlanta will have to find a way to get Young better looks at the basket. They were able to do so against the New York Knicks, but the 76ers look to have done their homework, forcing the Hawks back to the drawing board.
With two evenly-matched teams, who’s the best bet? Atlanta Hawks +1
This game is essentially a pickem’ considering how close the points spread is, but the Hawks have bounced back well in the past. Another thing to consider is the 76ers are 0-6 ATS when playing in Atlanta. With Joel Embiid designated as “questionable” for Friday’s game, the best bet here is taking the home team, Atlanta Hawks +1. Pair this pick with the OVER to capitalize at the sportsbook.
