NBA Playoffs 2022 on Thursday, 14.04.2022
The Nine-Ten Game will be between the Atlanta Hawks and Charlotte Hornets to determine a contender for the final game to determine the eighth, and thus last, available Eastern Conference starting spot.
In the upcoming game, the postseason will be over for the loser after just one game. It is not yet clear who will have to pack their bags early. But I have an uneasy feeling that it will be the Hornets.
Because before this all-or-nothing game, the home side seems to enjoy slight advantages. For example, just a few hours ago it was officially announced that Gordon Hayward will definitely be out of action on the other side.
This absence is so painful for Charlotte precisely because Hayward was one of the best players in the Regular Season with an average of 15.9 points and his defensive talent will be missing to narrow down the running paths of the red-hot Trae Young.
Another advantage the Hawks have is that their best man Trae Young is better than the visitors’ best player – in this case LaMeloBall – and can single-handedly decide a game if need be.
Few NBA teams have an effective remedy against this wonder weapon. In fact, Trae Yong has prepared the most points and assists in the league this season, an almost unbelievable achievement!
This is because Ice Trae, who is only 23 years old, is the second NBA player in history to achieve this in the same season. The first and only one before him, incidentally, was a certain Mr Tiny Archibald during the 1972-73 season.
These statistics are enough to show what is in store for the Hornets. Trae Yong is simply a force of nature who will enjoy another important advantage for his team tonight – home court!
Because until recently, the red and whites have felt right at home in Atlanta. At the end of the regular season, no less than 11 of the last 12 home games were won – and that by a franchise that is at home in the bottom third of the conference (!).
The home side even managed to beat much stronger opponents like the Grizzlies, Warriors and Nets. This strong final spurt of the season alone, to which the Hawks also owe their starting spot in the Play-In-Tournament, makes me extremely confident!
I still expect a close game tonight! Because the Hornets are quite capable of “stabbing” if you just let them. After all, the last direct comparison against the Hawks was won by a hair’s breadth with 130:127.
However, this was a game that took place five months ago and at a time when Gordon Hayward, with his safety from the free-throw line (7 of 8) and 5 defensive rebounds, might have tipped the scales.
However, we’ve learned that Hayward is definitely out, while Trae Young had yet to reach the form in the first half of the season that has made him one of the NBA’s best players in recent weeks and months!
The Hawks Hornets odds currently circulating on the betting markets broadly confirm my prediction of a host that seems to have a clear advantage!
Conclusion: Just four months ago I would have said that the probability of victory for both teams was around 50%. But in the meantime, the reasons seem to be increasing, which is why I will rather switch to a “one” on my betting slip.
Trae Young is a basketball beast who is in great shape and can keep a defence like the Hornets’ busy for the entire game. On top of that, home court advantage is huge!
Atlanta has won eleven of its last twelve NBA games at home and has taken down many a giant in the process. Against a starting five from Charlotte without Hayward, it should be enough to advance!
My Hawks Hornets tip: Home side to win!
