The Atlanta Hawks have lost four of their last five games heading into tonight's meeting with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have won 13 of their last 17. Trae Young & Co. will, however, have to try to win this one without John Collins, which will make things tough against a Cavaliers team with an elite frontcourt.
Will Atlanta snap out of its recent funk with a win over Cleveland? Keep reading our NBA betting picks and predictions to find out.
Cavaliers vs Hawks odds
This odds widget represents the best odds available for each betting market from regulated sportsbooks.
The Cavaliers opened as 1.5-point favorites against the Hawks and the line has moved to -2 in some spots. Meanwhile, the total opened at 221 and hasn’t moved much at all by the time of this writing.
Use the live odds widget above to track any future line movements right until tip-off and be sure to check out the full NBA odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
Cavaliers vs Hawks predictions
- Prediction: Cavaliers -1.5 (-110)
- Prediction: Under 221 (-110)
- Best bet: Garland Over 19.5 points (-125)
Predictions made on 2/15/2022 at 2:30 a.m. ET.
Click on each prediction to jump to the full analysis.
If you're signing up for a new sportsbook for the 2021-22 NBA season, here are two of the best bonuses available:
USA: Register as a new user with Caesars and get a deposit match of up to $1,500 with the promo code COVERSCZR! Minimum deposit $50. Claim Now
Canada: Get a 100%-matched sign-up bonus (up to $400) at BetVictor. Claim Now
Cavaliers vs Hawks game info
• Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
• Date: Tuesday, February 15, 2022
• Tip-off: 7:30 p.m. ET
• TV: Bally Sports Southeast, Bally Sports Ohio
Cavaliers vs Hawks betting preview
Key injuries
Cavaliers: Lauri Markkanen F (Out), Collin Sexton G (Out).
Hawks: John Collins F (Out).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Hawks are 3-13 against the spread in their last 16 games against teams with winning percentages above 60%. Find more NBA betting trends for Cavaliers vs. Hawks.
Cavaliers vs Hawks picks and predictions
Our predictions are compiled from the analysis of the spread and total and are indications of where we are leaning for this game.
Our best bet is the play that we like the most for this game, which we would actually put some of our bankroll behind.
Spread analysis
The Hawks are really playing poorly coming into this meeting with the Cavaliers, losing five of their last seven games. Meanwhile, Cleveland is trending in the opposite direction, having gone 13-4 in its last 17 games. The Cavaliers are third in the league in defensive rating this season and have surprisingly been one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. And with Collins out for Atlanta, it’s pretty hard to picture Cleveland not staying hot and winning this one.
The Cavaliers have one of the best frontcourt tandems in the league in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, which means they should be well equipped to beat a Hawks team missing Collins. The forward is Atlanta’s best offensive option on the inside and gives the Hawks another dimension compared to rim runners like Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu. Mobley and Allen should do a good job of defending the paint while also pitching in on the offensive end.
Darius Garland is also capable of outdueling Hawks star Trae Young, which isn’t something you can say for a lot of guards in this league. The third-year pro has a great handle, a good jumper, and a true ability to make plays for his teammates. He’s a ridiculously good offensive player. Cleveland should simply have an answer for everything Atlanta throws out in this game.
The Hawks are also just 8-18 ATS when coming off a road game this year, and they’re facing a Cavaliers team that is 22-10 ATS when coming off a game in which the team allows 105 or fewer points. On top of that, Atlanta is 1-8 ATS when facing teams with winning percentages between 60 and 70% this year. The Hawks have lost those games by an average of 10.4 points.
Prediction: Cavaliers -1.5 (-110)
Over/Under analysis
With the Cavaliers being third in the league in defensive rating and 25th in the league in pace of play, it should come as no surprise that the Under is 35-20-2 in Cleveland’s games this season. The Cavaliers like to rely on their elite defense to win games, and they end up playing in low-scoring contests as a result. Cleveland knows it can stop almost anybody, and it also has the ability to lean on players like Garland offensively in half-court situations — as well as the newly-acquired Caris LeVert.
The Under is 8-1 in Cleveland’s last nine road games against teams with winning home records, and it’s also 8-1 in the Cavaliers’ last nine games following an ATS loss. It’s also worth adding that the Under is 20-8 when Cleveland is coming off a game where it scored 105 or fewer points this season. The average total score in that last trend is 204.7 points.
Prediction: Under 221 (-110)
Best bet
Garland is averaging 20.1 points per game and is on his way to the first All-Star Game of his career. The young guard is one of the most dangerous offensive players in the entire league, and he just so happens to be coming off of back-to-back games where he's scored 27 points. Those two performances put to bed any concerns over how Garland might play after returning from a back injury.
Garland now faces a Hawks team that has Young guarding opposing point guards. Young is one of the worst perimeter defenders in basketball and Atlanta often tries to hide him, but it might not be possible for long stretches in this game. Look for Garland to hunt Young when he can, and that should mean a big offensive outing for the 22-year-old.
Pick: Darius Garland Over 19.5 points (-125)
Did you know that if you parlayed today’s NBA Cavaliers vs. Hawks predictions and picks in a single-game parlay, you could win $55.60 on a $10 bet?
Use our NBA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
