The Atlanta Hawks are stalking the Eastern Conference standings, pushing for the No. 4 spot as they gain momentum down the home stretch of the schedule. Atlanta is an NBA betting favorite visiting the Indiana Pacers on Thursday.
The Hawks, who sit fifth in the East and just half a game out of fourth, are on a three-game tear (3-0 ATS) but hit the road for the second outing of back-to-back contests. Indiana is also playing the backend of two straight, with just one win in its last five games.
Get free NBA picks and predictions for Hawks vs. Pacers on May 6.
Hawks vs Pacers odds
Odds via the Covers Line, an average comprised of odds from multiple sportsbooks.
Compare NBA odds before betting to ensure you get the best number.
NBA Sharp Money and Line Movement Report
By Patrick EversonAtlanta initially fell back to -5 from its -5.5 overnight opener at PointsBet USA, then by midmorning worked its way up to -6, where the line stands at 4:45 p.m. ET. The Hawks are grabbing 83 percent of spread bets and 88 percent of spread money. The total moved from 240.5 to 239.5 to 240, with the Under taking 72 percent of bets/67 percent of cash.
Check out the full line movement for this gameHawks at Pacers betting preview
Injuries
Hawks: De’Andre Hunter F (Out), Cam Reddish F (Out).
Pacers: Myles Turner C (Out), Malcolm Brogdon G (Out), Jeremy Lamb G (Questionable), JaKarr Sampson F (Questionable), Edmond Sumner G (Questionable), T.J. Warren F (Out).
Find our latest NBA injury reports.
Betting trend to know
Over is 40-18 in Pacers' last 58 games following a loss. Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. Pacers.
Against the spread (ATS) pick
Atlanta is hot and has been since making a coaching swap back in March. That temperature could be tempered by back-to-back outings as well as the team’s recent struggles on the road.
The Hawks have played only four away games in their last dozen outings, losing all four SU and ATS. But outside of a blemish at Detroit, those road loses came against quality foes at Philadelphia (twice) and New York, and it’s safe to say Indiana isn’t on the same level as those previous opponents.
The Pacers are also playing on zero rest, coming off a 104-93 home defeat to Sacramento on Wednesday. Indiana has sunk like a stone in the standings due to its current skid, sitting ninth in the East, and can blame a laundry list of injuries for its struggles.
Indiana needed more than 41 minutes from star big Domantas Sabonis versus Sacramento and went deep down a depleted bench looking for answers on Wednesday. The Hawks, on the other hand, got up big on the Suns and were able to rest their starters (four of the starting five played less than 24 minutes) while a talent-rich reserve corps combined for 74 points off the pine.
There are some questionable returns for the Pacers, but not enough coming back to avoid another loss in a tough spot versus a deep Hawks attack.
PREDICTION: Atlanta -5 (-110)
Over/Under pick
With shot swatter Myles Turner out of action, the Pacers haven’t been able to protect the paint. And even with the return of Sabonis, Indiana has been bullied inside by recent opponents, allowing an average of 71.3 points in the paint in the past three contests.
The Hawks have a dynamic offense that has added a potent post-up game into the fold since Nate McMillan took over. Atlanta has capable bigs in John Collins and Clint Capela, who face an Indiana defense allowing post-up plays to score at a frequency of 52.1 percent – second-worst in the NBA.
Offensively, the Pacers are living up to their nickname. Forced into a smaller lineup, Indiana has gone all “Vin Diesel”, rolling out a tempo ranked No.1 in the league since April with a furious pace rating of 105.42. That’s manifested itself into an average of more than 119 points over Indiana’s last 19 games.
That style along with a soft interior defense, allowing opponents to hit an average of nearly 25 shots from inside of five feet per game since April 1, has produced a 12-7 Over/Under mark in that span – including a 5-1 O/U count in their last six outings.
PREDICTION: Over 240 (-110)
Player prop pick
Capela put in a very efficient 24 minutes of basketball in Wednesday’s win over Phoenix. The Hawks’ 6-foot-10 center was 8 for 11 from the floor for 18 points while adding 10 rebounds and two blocks before getting to put his feet up.
Capela has been outstanding for Atlanta in the second half of the season, coming off an April in which he averaged 17 points and almost 16 rebounds per game, holding down the fort while the team battled the injury bug.
His numbers have dipped a bit over the Hawks’ three-game winning streak, with others contributing on offense, but Capela takes on one of the worst interior defenses in the NBA tonight.
We mentioned just how horrid the Pacers are inside but they’re also garbage on the glass, ranked dead last in rebound rate (47.3%) and giving up an average of 14 offensive rebounds a night over their last 10 contests. That should add up to plenty of second-chance put-backs for Capela.
PREDICTION: Clint Capela points Over 16.5 (-110)
Hawks vs Pacers betting card
- Atlanta -5 (-110)
- Over 240 (-110)
- Clint Capela points Over 16.5 (-110)
Picks made on 5/6/2021 at 10:00 a.m. ET
Did you know that if you parlayed today’s NBA Hawks vs. Pacers picks, you could win $59.58 on a $10 bet?
Use our NBA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where can I bet on the NBA?
You can bet on NBA odds at every online and casino sportsbook, including NBA moneylines, spreads, Over/Under totals, and a ton of NBA prop odds. Head over to our best sportsbooks for NBA betting in your area.
