Miami Heat vs Atlanta Hawks Betting Pick & Prediction 12/28/24

At 3:00 ET, the Miami Heat (15-13) will travel to take on the Atlanta Hawks (16-15) at State Farm Arena. The Hawks (-133) are currently favored by 2 points over the Heat (+113) in a Southeast Division matchup.

Both teams come into this game on two-game win streaks, and Miami currently sits 6th in the Eastern Conference, while Atlanta is 7th.

MIAMI HEAT VS ATLANTA HAWKS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Atlanta Hawks -2

This game will be played at State Farm Arena at 3:00 ET on Saturday, December 28th.

WHY BET THE ATLANTA HAWKS:

• We have this one finishing with a projected score of 127-112 in favor of the Hawks.
• Our projections have Trae Young finishing with 21 points, 3 rebounds and 11 assists.
• From the field, we have the Hawks finishing with a field goal percentage of 45.1% and knocking down 15 threes.

Is a Win at Atlanta Possible for the Heat?

The Heat improved to 15-13 this season with a narrow 89-88 win over the Magic on Thursday. Miami entered the game as +1 point underdogs and covered the spread. The total score of 177 points fell well short of the 208.5 O/U line.

Orlando jumped out to a 16-0 lead, but Miami chipped away, holding the Magic to 17 points in the 4th quarter while scoring 28 to complete the comeback.

In their 89-88 win over the Magic, the Heat’s offense struggled overall, shooting just 40.8% from the field. However, they connected on 15 threes at a 50% clip, with Tyler Herro, Alec Burks, and Jaime Jaquez each hitting 3 triples.

Herro led Miami with 20 points, including 8 in the 1st quarter and 7 in the 4th. Burks added 17 points, with 11 coming in the final period, while Jaquez contributed 15 points, scoring 7 in the 3rd quarter.

After a shaky start, the Heat tightened up defensively, allowing just 57 points over the final three quarters to secure an 89-88 win over the Magic. Miami gave up 31 points in the 1st but responded by holding Orlando to 21 points in the 2nd, 19 in the 3rd, and just 17 in the 4th. Overall, the Heat limited the Magic to 44% shooting from the field.

Miami excelled at defending the three, with the Magic hitting only 5 threes on 17% shooting. The Heat also sent Orlando to the line 18 times, where they made 15 free throws. Defensively, the Heat grabbed 28 rebounds, allowed 9 offensive boards, and added 14 steals and 6 blocks.

Will Atlanta Live Up to Expectations at Home?

The Hawks improved to 16-15 on the season with a 141-133 win over the Bulls on Thursday. Atlanta, playing at home, was favored by 5 points and covered the spread. The game’s total of 274 points went well over the pre-game line of 241.5.

Chicago went on a 10-0 run early, but Atlanta turned things around in the 4th quarter. After trailing 108-91, the Hawks dominated the final period, outscoring the Bulls 50-25 to seal the win.

Jalen Johnson’s 30-point, 15-rebound performance on 68.8% shooting helped the Hawks to a 141-133 win over the Bulls. Trae Young added 27 points and 13 assists, while De’Andre Hunter contributed 25 points, hitting 3 threes at 42.9% efficiency.

Atlanta connected on 17 threes, shooting 37.8% from deep and 51.7% overall. Johnson scored 11 points in the 4th quarter, while Young added 16 in the final period.

Despite giving up 133 points, the Hawks managed to secure a win over the Bulls. Atlanta allowed 33 points in the 1st quarter, 31 in the 2nd, and a whopping 44 in the 3rd. However, they tightened up in the 4th, giving up just 25 points.

The Hawks struggled to defend the three, as the Bulls hit 22 threes at a 51% clip. Atlanta sent Chicago to the line just 6 times, where they made 5 free throws. The Hawks finished with 9 steals and 5 blocks.