76ers vs Hawks Picks and Predictions: Maxey's Speed Torches Fatigued Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers are both looking to claim a spot in the top tier of the Eastern Conference this season – and they collide tonight in a star-studded matchup.

Nothing has come easy for the 76ers (5-6) this year, but Monday’s 100-88 win over the Phoenix Suns was a step in the right direction, with Joel Embiid dropping 33 points in his return to action.

The Hawks (7-4) had seemingly found a rhythm with three straight wins, though last night’s 125-119 loss at home to the surging Utah Jazz brought back some red flags.

Get the inside scoop on tonight’s showdown with our 76ers vs Hawks NBA picks and predictions.

76ers vs Hawks best odds

76ers vs Hawks picks and predictions

The Philadelphia 76ers seem to have weathered an early-season storm, with Embiid or James Harden (or both) out of the lineup – and that’s largely thanks to Tyrese Maxey. Maxey has seen his usage spike and dip at different stages already this season, but Philadelphia would be lost without his injection of speed and unpredictability.

Though he’s struggled from the field in his last two outings (shooting a combined 14-for-47), don’t overreact to those numbers or overthink the fatigue factor. I expect to see a livewire performance from Maxey in Atlanta tonight, especially with the prospect of hunting Trae Young and his lackluster perimeter defense.

While the Atlanta Hawks will surely look to keep Dejounte Murray glued to Philadelphia’s explosive young star as much as possible, the 76ers should be able to tilt the matchups to get Maxey some one-on-one opportunities against Young, who has no shot at keeping the 76ers guard out of the paint.

Keep in mind too that this Atlanta defense was shredded last night by a lively Utah team – and it will be a tough task for the Hawks to regroup with tired legs and prepare for Maxey’s lightning transition game. Embiid’s ability to attract help defenders in the paint should set up the Philadelphia guards to punish scrambling rotations. 

With so many of the usual Harden possessions up for grabs in his absence, I like Maxey to be the 76ers’ spark on the road and finish with 25+ points.

My best bet: Tyrese Maxey Over 23.5 points (-115)

76ers vs Hawks spread analysis

The 76ers enter as the slightest of underdogs here, despite being more rested than the Hawks and having an edge in the paint with Embiid. The 76ers are good value to cover this tiny spread and bag a road victory tonight, with the chance to climb back to .500.

The visitors bring the type of physicality that could knock Atlanta off its game plan, and the presence of Embiid and P.J. Tucker makes it easier to trust the 76ers’ defense to hold firm. If the 76ers can shut off driving lanes for the Atlanta backcourt, the Hawks’ offense becomes far more predictable.

Still, the hosts shouldn’t be taken lightly. I expect Young to bounce back from a rough shooting night (10-for-28) against the Jazz, while Murray continues to look a great fit in the Atlanta backcourt. The Hawks, without Young, took down Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this week – and are 4-2 at home.

Georges Niang provided a major boost off the bench for Philadelphia against Phoenix, drilling seven 3-pointers. While that type of production is unsustainable, the visitors should at least be able to match an Atlanta second unit that served up a dud performance last night. With the 76ers, the big question is always whether the team can tread water during Embiid's time on the bench. 

76ers vs Hawks Over/Under analysis

Tonight’s matchup brings an interesting contrast in styles, with the Hawks leaning on a prolific offense (116.5 points per game, sixth-highest in the league) and the 76ers bringing a Top-5 defense (107.3 points allowed per game).

The line suggests that both teams should cruise past 100 points, but I’m leaning towards the Under, given the possible fatigue for Young and Murray on the second night of a back-to-back, while the absence of Harden has taken some of the life out of the visitors’ offense too.

The Under is 7-0 in the last seven meetings between these teams and 4-1 in the last five matchups in Atlanta. Two of the three meetings last season were tight, cagey affairs that finished with a 98-96 scoreline – and Clint Capela at least has a shot at guarding Embiid without double-team help.

76ers vs Hawks betting trend to know

The Philadelphia defense has been rising to the occasion against other playoff contenders. The Under has cashed in for the 76ers’ last six games against teams with a winning SU record. Find more NBA betting trends for 76ers vs. Hawks.

76ers vs Hawks game info

76ers vs Hawks key injuries

Pages related to this topic