Orlando Hawks vs. Atlanta Hawks Play-In Game - Best Bets & Betting Odds
All odds provided by Betway.
Magic vs. Hawks Point Spread/Moneyline Prediction
The Orlando Magic have been one of the most surprising success stories of this season—but we think they’re going to have to work a little bit harder to get into the real playoff tournament. There is perhaps no team more familiar with the one-and-done Play-In format than the Atlanta Hawks, who will be in the mini-tournament for the fourth straight year.
Trae Young has led the Hawks to the postseason through the Play-In in two of the past three years, and we believe that experience is going to win out here. A big reason we believe the Hawks will be able to keep this one close is the absence of Jalen Suggs, which would have made Young’s life a lot more difficult. Atlanta also matches up pretty well with Orlando’s top guys in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
This will be a battle between an offensive firecracker in Atlanta and a tough defensive team in the Magic. We’ve always been of the belief that defense in the NBA is about effort more than anything. These guys are all athletic enough to get it done, it’s just about whether they’ve bought in that night. We think it’s more likely that the Hawks buy-in defensively than for the Magic to magically find their shooting touch. Not to mention the Hawks covered 60 percent of their games as a road dog this year.
Best Bet: Atlanta Hawks +5.0 Point Spread (-110)
Magic vs. Hawks Over/Under Prediction
Generally, we have found success betting on unders during high-pressure games like a Play-In scenario, but these Hawks have just been on too much of a roll offensively recently. Since the start of February, Atlanta has played just one game that went under this 217.5 point total we’re getting on betting apps for this matchup. That’s a sample size of 35 games too. That span also included all four matchups with the Magic, each of which went over 217 points.
Best Bet: Game Total Points Over 217.5 (-110)
Player Prop Best Bet
Trae Young has played in four Play-In games in his career, which has to be up there among the most for any player. If only Play-In stats were more readily available. However, we do know that Young has scored 24, 38, 25, and 22 in those games, the last of which was the only one he lost. He shot 4-for-12 from the field that day and still had 22. That’s a nice, comfy floor.
When it’s a game like this, the cream rises to the top. And Young is definitely going to be the cream of the crop on the floor on Tuesday. Young also scored 28 and 38 points in his last two meetings with the Magic, and with no Jalen Suggs to chase him around this time, he could really go supernova.
Best Bet: Trae Young 25+ Points (-155)/Betway
