NBA 2022/23, on Saturday, 10.12.2022
With the World Cup in Qatar, there aren’t quite as many games left to be fought. Consequently, many of the best sports bettors are shifting their focus more and more towards the USA, where many NBA picks and NFL picks are made every day.
In my Nets Hawks prediction, meanwhile, I look at the home side’s chances of making another push towards the playoffs tonight. By now, the word is out across the country that New York is on the rise!
I don’t want to go so far as to say that the Nets are ready to play for the championship – because I see some competitors ahead of them. However, there have been growing signs in recent weeks that Brooklyn is on a rapid upward trajectory.
The New Yorkers have won five of their last six NBA games and only lost to the unstoppable Boston Celtics during that period – now the Hawks are waiting for the next top game.
Nevertheless, the Nets go into this match with the slightly better cards. Not least because they managed for only the second time this season to let the opponent’s defence pull away with less than 110 points per 100 possessions for the fifth game in a row.
Thus, the fact that the Nets defence has been picking up steam since their bumpy start to the season is no longer a rumour. In fact, league-wide, only the Cavs (17) have been able to hold opposing teams below the 110 points per 100-possession mark more often!
For the New Yorkers in particular, holding their opponents below this mark is crucial to the game. In the games in which this was achieved, the record is 13-3, but each of the games in which the opponent scored more than 110 points was lost in the end (9 times).
Consequently, the question is whether Brooklyn can get a grip on the Hawks’ offence tonight – and indeed, it should be doable, even if Trae Young can continue to win a game on his own.
Trae Young continues to be the figurehead of a Hawks squad that often somehow muddles its way to victory, but is increasingly struggling at the moment – both on and off the floor.
That means, of course, the absences of Dejounte Murray and John Collins, as well as Trent Forrest, who could also miss tonight due to a concussion.
Those absences have also been felt on the floor recently, where the Hawks have now lost five of their last seven NBA games – and not even necessarily against top teams.
Yesterday, Thursday, it came thick and fast for the guests from the state of Georgia. In their 89-113 loss to the Knicks, they scored less points than ever before this season.
This is also very important because – as I have already pointed out – it will be essential for the Hawks’ chances of success to put points on the board against the Nets’ strong defence.
In fact, Atlanta has even lost the last two duels against Brooklyn in which the threshold of 110 points could not be exceeded. For that matter, many are also wondering how many points the opposition will score tonight.
I don’t think it’s very likely that many points will be scored at the Barclays Center, also in view of the Nets’ abilities. For as good as their own defence may be at the moment, the offence isn’t quite running at full speed for it.
Kyrie Irving, for example, is taking more three-point attempts than ever before in his career (41.5 %), but only converting 32.4 % of them.
That figure, while passable for an ordinary player, is the second-worst of his now 12-season career.
Sportsbooks, meanwhile, are trading a win for the home side at around 1.33 – which I personally am broadly in agreement with.
Because I too am trading the Hawks as the underdogs in this clash and thus consider the odds of circa 3.40 assigned to them on the markets by many bettors with Paypal to be “fair”.
Conclusion: I could very well see a win where the Nets end up ahead 110-98 – at least by the order of magnitude.
Trae Young is an excellent player, but is currently missing support at the board and is now facing one of the best defenses in the NBA to make matters worse.
This could lead to the Nets winning this important home game with ease.
Atlanta put fewer points on the board yesterday than at any other time this season, so they enter this clash with a much weaker hand.
My Nets Hawks tip: The home side wins at HC -7.5.
