Atlanta Hawks vs. Phoenix Suns | 2021 NBAl Expert Analysis

Two of the most electric scorers in the NBA will be on display Tuesday night as Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks make their only visit of the season to Phoenix and face All-Star Devin Booker and the Suns, who are favored on the NBA odds.

How to Bet Hawks at Suns NBA Odds & TV Info

When: Tuesday, 10 PM ET
Where: PHX Arena
TV: NBA League Pass
Stream:com, NBA TV app
Radio:com
NBA Odds: TBA (Suns will be favored)

Last Meeting

These teams were supposed to meet Jan. 13 in Phoenix but that was postponed for COVID reasons. They will play in Atlanta on May 5. The Suns have not had a season sweep vs. the Hawks since 2013-14, also their last time recording consecutive wins. The losing team has scored exactly 112 or 110 points in each of the last 5 meetings. The clubs split last year, each winning at home.

Why Bet on Atlanta? | 2021 NBAl Expert Analysis

The Hawks (23-23) lost for the third time in four games Sunday, 126-102 in Denver. Trae Young had 21 points, seven assists, five rebounds, two steals, and seven turnovers. Young shot above 50% from the floor for the first time in five games but had way too many turnovers and has turned the ball over four or more times in seven out of 12 games this month.

Danilo Gallinari had 14 points and Clint Capela 10 points and eight rebounds. The rebounds tied his second-fewest since February 10. He had 14 or more in seven of his eight other games this month. It was also his first game without a block since February 4.

De’Andre Hunter, arguably the team’s second-best player, didn’t play Sunday with right knee soreness. Hunter hasn’t played since March 24. Coach Nate McMillan said he is suffering from some swelling. t Capela is the only Eastern Conference player who ranks in the NBA’s top five in rebounds per game (1st) and blocks per game (3rd), and the top 10 in FG% (10th).

Lou Williams, who was acquired from the Clippers at the trade deadline, has yet to make his Hawks debut. He will finally join the team on Tuesday but may not play yet. Kris Dunn and Cam Reddish are both out injured.

Atlanta is averaging 112.5 points per game this season, which would be the fourth-best in franchise history. The Hawks rank in the NBA in total free throws made and free throws made per game, and fifth in free-throw percentage (.820).

Why Bet on Phoenix? | 2021 NBAl Expert Analysis

The Suns (31-14) won their second in a row Sunday, 101-97 in OT in Charlotte. All-Star Devin Booker had 35 points. Chris Paul had 16, Deandre Ayton added 14 points, and Mikal Bridges had 13 points, eight rebounds and a career-high six steals.

Bridges came into the game averaging 0.8 steals per game, far below last season (1.4) and just half of what he averaged as a rookie (1.6). The dip was despite his minutes rising to a career-high 32.5 per game this season. Paul had just one assist in 38 minutes vs. Charlotte. That’s a career-low for the future Hall of Famer.

Ayton added 14 rebounds and has been picking up steam lately with post-All-Star break averages of 16.1 points (68% FGs, 81% FTs), 8.9 boards and 1.3 blocks, and he’s now played 32+ minutes in four of the past five games.

Jae Crowder had an interesting line in shooting 0-for-9 from the field with all of his attempts from deep, scoring two points at the line with eight rebounds, four assists and one steal in 33 minutes. Crowder leads the Suns in 3-pointers made, 26 ahead of Devin Booker, and he’s also tops on the team in per-game attempts (6.3) and makes (2.4).

Booker’s father, Melvin Booker, was teammates with Hawks forward Danilo Gallinari for Italy’s Olimpia Milano in 2007-08. A then 12-year-old Devin occasionally played one-on-one with Gallinari.

The Suns are 2nd in the Western Conference standings now 45 games into the season. This is the deepest into a season the Suns have been 1st or 2nd in the West since the end of the day on April 7, 2010 when they were in a tie for 2nd in the West at 51-27. Phoenix is 20-5 over its last 24 games dating back to Feb. 5. Over that stretch, the Suns have been outstanding on the offensive end of the floor, shooting at least 50% from the field in 15 of 25 games.

The Suns rank 4th in the NBA in Defensive Rating, allowing just 108.2 points per 100 possessions. The Suns haven’t finished in the top 10 in Defensive Rating in a season in 20 years since 2000-01 when they ranked 2nd.