Hoops fans are thriving right now with plentiful options across the sport’s landscape to tune into tonight. For those still keeping up with the NBA, the Atlanta Hawks bring the league’s longest winning streak to Toyota Center after taking 11 straight games in hand. A struggling Houston Rockets squad stands in the way of another victory, and the home side is surely looking to get back on the right foot following back-to-back losses.
Here’s a Hawks vs. Rockets prediction and pick on DraftKings Sportsbook for Friday’s contest.
Hawks vs. Rockets prediction, preview
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks spent much of the campaign struggling to find their way to the .500 mark, finally clawing their way there a couple of weeks ago. Now, they’ve fully surpassed it and have risen all the way to sixth in the Eastern Conference at 38-31, winning 11 straight games to make it here as well as 12 of their 13 since the All-Star break.
Atlanta has a +1.4 NETRTG on the campaign that places the franchise 14th in the stat, but that mark has increased significantly to an NBA-best 12.9 since the break. The team also ranks second in pace. The Hawks’ 118.1 PPG are seventh most and they’ve become one of the league’s more efficient teams with a 47.3% FG% and a 36.9% 3P% that ranks sixth highest. They’re top 10 in both 3PA and 3PM per game as well as second in FGA and FGM, so the shot volume can often overwhelm opponents. This unit is also elite at spreading the ball around with a league-high 30.4 assists and the second-best AST/FGM and AST/TO ratios, too. While just 18th in rebounding with 43.5 per game, the Hawks are 11th in DEFRTG as the 116.6 PPG allowed comes more as a result of their pace of play than a lack of skill on that end.
The only notable absence for Atlanta tonight is Jonathan Kuminga (knee), who has been ruled out. The group will have star Jalen Johnson at the forefront with 22.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game. Nickeil Alexander-Walker averages 20.3 PPG and CJ McCollum pitches in 18.4 PPG himself. Onyeka Okongwu has quietly been quite good this season with 15.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game as well. Dyson Daniels averages 11.6 points with 6.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists, with Zaccharie Risacher and Corey Kispert also playing key roles.
Houston Rockets
The Rockets have hopes of competing for a title, but the questions in Houston are only getting louder as the postseason approaches. They’re 41-27 overall and have dropped to fifth in the Western Conference. Since the All-Star break in particular, they’re only 8-7 as well as the offense takes a pretty decent hit.
The NETRTG for Houston sits eighth in the league at +4.0 on the full season, but since the break that same mark sits at an even 0.0, 16th overall. The team also comes in at 29th in pace. The offense produces 113.8 PPG and is 11th in OFFRTG, but that scoring mark is down to 111.0 PPG over the last 15 games. The Rockets are 10th in FG% at 47.5% and 11th in 3P% at 36.1%, but they attempt the second-fewest threes to begin with. They’re also 27th in assists and have the third-worst AST/TO ratio as well, with playmaking an issue as always. However, there are bright spots even amidst the skid. The Rockets still pace the league with 48.0 rebounds per game with the NBA lead in offensive rebounds and OREB%, and the defense remains formidable with the fourth-fewest PPG allowed (110.0) and eighth-best DEFRTG.
Kevin Durant continues to produce most nights with 25.7 PPG on a near 50%/40%/90% shooting split. Alperen Sengun, second on the team with 20.3 PPG, has slowed down slightly since the break but still brings 8.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists as well. Amen Thompson also provides all-around production of 17.9 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists as an elite slasher, while fellow forward Jabari Smith Jr. posts 15.5 points with 6.8 boards. Tari Eason averages 10.5 points and 6.3 rebounds but is in the midst of a brutal shooting slump, and Reed Sheppard averages 13.4 points and 3.2 assists per game.
Hawks vs. Rockets pick, best bet
DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Rockets as -3.5 home favorites tonight with -155 odds on the Moneyline. The Hawks are listed at +130 odds on the ML with the game total set at 226.5 combined points.
These teams have met just once this season, a 104-86 victory for Houston back on January 29. Johnson and Okongwu both missed that game though, so it’s tough to glean al that much from the blowout without Atlanta’s two best big men on the floor.
This is a matchup that should certainly be close. The Hawks are playing their best basketball of the season at the moment, while the Rockets are trending in the opposite direction and appear disjointed right now. There’s size in the Atlanta frontcourt to fight on the glass and the unit is probably going to look to speed up an opposing team that prefers to keep things slow and grind out games. While Houston possesses the firepower to compete and potentially win, I’m not sure it even should be listed as favorites given the recent form from both teams.
The Hawks have covered the spread in all but one of their 11 games during this winning streak and are 12-1 ATS since the All-Star break, with the Rockets 6-9 ATS over the same sample. With that in consideration, I’m taking Atlanta at +3.5 without much of a second thought, also strongly considering it on the Moneyline as well.
Top pick: ATL Hawks +3.5 (+130)
