The Atlanta Hawks and Utah Jazz will lock horns Friday night at Vivint Smart Arena in Salt Lake City, so I bring you the latest odds update on DraftKings Sportsbook along with my best betting pick and all need-to-know tips and stats for this interconference showdown.  

Both Atlanta and Utah postponed their Wednesday’s games against Phoenix and Washington, but neither have any issues with the COVID-19 medical protocols. Still, the Hawks have a lot of injury worries and will miss Bogdan Bogdanovic, Rajon Rondo, Danilo Gallinari, and Kris Dunn, while Clint Capela is questionable to play. On the other side, Joe Ingles is listed as questionable.  

The Hawks easily topped the shorthanded Sixers 

The Atlanta Hawks (5-5; 5-5 ATS) put an end to their four-game losing streak this past Monday, outlasting the Philadelphia 76ers 112-94 as 6-point home favorites. They scored 37 points in the second quarter and 32 in the third, but the Hawks finished the game with just 37.4% shooting from the field. 

Atlanta still made 17 triples out of 44 attempts (38.6%), and Trae Young led the way with 26 points, eight assists, and zero turnovers. In his previous four outings, Young recorded a whopping 26 turnovers in total. 

The Hawks are eighth in the league in points scored per 100 possessions (113.7), but they shoot a terrible 43.7% from the field (27^th in the NBA). On the other side of the ball, the Hawks are 12^th in points allowed per 100 possessions (109.3) and sixth in opponent field goal percentage (44.2%).  

The Jazz are slowly building up their form 

The Utah Jazz (7-4; 6-5 ATS) are on a three-game win streak following a 117-87 road victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers this past Tuesday. They wrapped up a six-game road trip in style, shooting 50.0% from the field and 53.3% from beyond the arc against the injury-depleted Cavs. 

Donovan Mitchell had another good day in the office, accounting for 27 points on 9-for-15 from the field, while Jordan Clarkson added 21 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Over his last five appearances, Mitchell was averaging 27.2 points and 4.4 assists per game. 

The Jazz tally 111.5 points per 100 possessions (13^th) while making 45.7% of their field goals (16^th) and 39.1% of their 3-pointers (6^th). They are eighth in the league in points allowed per 100 possessions (107.9) and fourth in opponent field goal percentage (44.1%). 

Atlanta:

• 1-4 ATS in the last five games overall 
• 3-7 ATS in the last ten tilts against Western Conference 

Utah:

• 5-2 ATS in the last seven games overall 
• 13-7 ATS in the last 20 games against Eastern Conference 

The Winner Prediction

I was so excited about the Hawks this season, but they’ve been poor over the last two weeks. They beat the 76ers who missed almost the entire starting lineup, while dissension between Trae Young and John Collins certainly affect the Hawks’ performance. 

The Jazz haven’t impressed either, but after a 131-118 win at Milwaukee, they’ve stayed on the right track against Detroit and Cleveland. Utah can put a lot of pressure on Young in the backcourt, so I expect the hosts’ defense to make the difference in this one. 

Pick: Take Utah -6.5 at -110  

The Total:

The Hawks’ last six games went in the under, as well as three of Utah’s last four contests. Both teams can make it rain from downtown, but they also play solid defense, so I’m backing the under on the totals. 

Furthermore, the Jazz prefer to play at a slow pace, averaging 98.8 possessions per 48 minutes (23^rd in the league). They don’t want to speed up things against Trae Young’s Hawks which is another reason why I’m betting on the under. 

Pick: Go under 223.5 points at -110   

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