The Pacers and Hawks will meet up for the second time this season and it's a historic matchup as far as sports betting goes tonight. This game has the highest over under point total for a regular season NBA game, ever. The line is set at 262 and 57% of the public bets are on the over. Let's take a closer look at this matchup and get into our Pacers vs Hawks Prediction - NBA Picks 1/5/24.
Indiana Pacers:
The Pacers are on a remarkable run, boasting the NBA's longest active winning streak of five games. They have been leading the league with an average of 126.9 points per game.
Point guard Tyrese Haliburton has been sensational, averaging 26.2 points, 15.8 assists, and 1.8 steals over his last five games. His shooting percentages are impressive, with 51.5% overall and 39.6% from the 3-point range.
Indiana’s recent performance includes two victories over the Milwaukee Bucks, indicating their capability to outscore top-tier teams. They have also shown a significant improvement in defense compared to the season's start. But let's not overlook that they just allowed 130 to the Bucks on Wednesday night.
Atlanta Hawks:
The Hawks, with a 14-19 record, are also known for their scoring ability, averaging 122.8 points per game, ranking third in the NBA.
Trae Young remains a key player for Atlanta, having scored 38 points and recorded eight assists in their last matchup against the Pacers.
Atlanta's recent victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder showcased their scoring depth, with four players scoring at least 20 points. They scored 141 points and allowed 138 for a total of 279 on Wednesday night.
Game Prediction:
This matchup is likely to be a high-scoring affair, considering both teams rank in the top six for offensive rating and are among the league's top five for pace.
The Pacers, riding a wave of momentum and playing at home, might have a slight edge, especially with Haliburton's current form. However, the Hawks' offense cannot be underestimated, making this a potentially close game.
Don't look for a lot of defense, both of these teams are confident in their ability to outscore teams so when you get a matchup with two teams that can score at will and are fine with not playing much defense, you get some BIG point totals like we are going to see tonight.
These two teams played once already this season and the final score was 157 to 152 for a total of 309 with the Pacers winning.
Don't overthink it, just take the over.
Best Bet:
Pacers / Hawks Over (262)
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