Atlanta Hawks vs Los Angeles Clippers Betting Pick & Prediction 1/4/25
At 10:30 ET, the Atlanta Hawks (18-17) will travel to take on the Los Angeles Clippers (19-15) in a non-conference matchup. The Clippers are currently favored by 5.5 points and have a moneyline of -217. The over/under line is set at 228.5.
Both teams enter this game on two-game losing streaks. The Hawks are 7th in the Eastern Conference, while the Clippers are 7th in the Western Conference. The game will be played at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood and can be seen on NBA TV.
ATLANTA HAWKS VS LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Atlanta Hawks +5.5
This game will be played at Intuit Dome at 10:30 ET on Saturday, January 4th.
WHY BET THE ATLANTA HAWKS:
- We have this one finishing with a projected score of 134-112 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 45.8% and knocking down 16 threes.
Is an Upset Waiting to Happen on the Road?
The Hawks dropped to 18-17 on the season after a 119-102 road loss to the Lakers on Friday. Atlanta entered the game as +2.5 point underdogs but failed to cover the spread. The combined score of 221 points fell short of the 234.5-point O/U line.
Atlanta trailed 31-28 after the 1st quarter and 65-57 at halftime. The Hawks were down 96-86 going into the 4th quarter, where they were outscored 23-16.
In their 119-102 loss to the Lakers, the Hawks struggled offensively, shooting just 41% from the field and connecting on only 6 threes at a 17.6% clip. Trae Young led the way with 33 points and 9 assists, hitting 3 threes at 33.3% efficiency.
Jalen Johnson added 19 points and 8 rebounds, shooting 61.5%, while Onyeka Okongwu contributed 14 points and 11 boards, hitting 58.3% of his shots. Young scored 14 points in the 3rd quarter and added 10 more in the 4th.
The Hawks struggled defensively against the Lakers, giving up 119 points on 48% shooting. They allowed 31 points in both the 1st and 3rd quarters and 34 in the 2nd. Their best defensive effort came in the 4th, where they gave up 23 points.
From beyond the arc, the Lakers hit 13 threes on 43% shooting. The Hawks sent them to the line 25 times, where they made 20 free throws. Atlanta recorded 10 steals and 3 blocks but allowed 17 offensive rebounds.
Can the Clippers Pull Out the Win as Home Favorites?
The Clippers fell to 19-15 on the season after a 116-98 road loss to the Thunder on Thursday. L.A. entered the game as +12 point underdogs and failed to cover the spread. The total points for the game ended at 214, just half a point under the line of 214.5.
After leading 30-22 at the end of the 1st quarter, the Clippers were outscored 26-22 in the 2nd quarter. The Thunder took control in the 3rd, outscoring L.A. 42-20, and both teams scored 26 points in the 4th quarter.
Amir Coffey’s 26 points, including 6 made threes at a 75% rate, led the Clippers in their 116-98 loss to the Thunder. Mo Bamba added 12 points, hitting 2 threes at 66.7%, while Ivica Zubac and Kevin Porter each contributed 11 points.
The Clippers shot 46.9% from the field, but struggled from beyond the arc, making 11 threes at 34.4%. Coffey scored 10 points in the 3rd quarter, and added 7 more in the 4th.
Defensively, the Clippers held the Thunder to 116 points, giving up 22 in the 1st quarter and 26 in both the 2nd and 4th. However, a tough 3rd quarter saw them allow 42 points. Overall, the Thunder shot 50% from the field.
From three-point range, the Thunder made 14 threes, shooting 36%. The Clippers sent them to the line 20 times, where they hit 16 free throws. The Clippers grabbed 35 defensive rebounds and allowed 4 offensive boards, while also recording 6 steals.