A pair of struggling teams do battle in The Six tonight when Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors host Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks. Both the Hawks and Raptors come into this game losers of four in a row and six of seven overall.
With both teams slumping the NBA odds aren’t giving either team much of an edge as Toronto is just a slight home favorite. So, which team has what it takes to snap its losing streak? And what’s the best way to bet on this Eastern Conference matchup?
I break down the basketball odds and bring you my best bet in my NBA picks and predictions for Hawks vs. Raptors on Wednesday, December 13.
Hawks vs Raptors odds
Hawks vs Raptors predictions
The Toronto Raptors' problem remains the same. They just aren’t a very good shooting team and that is resulting in inconsistent performances. Toronto ranks 20th in offensive rating, 24th in effective field goal percentage, and dead last when it comes to 3-point shooting percentage.
So, how do the Raps counteract their lack of an elite shooting touch? Well, by emphasizing making the extra pass, of course. Even though Toronto isn’t getting a ton of buckets per game, its assist rate is one of the highest in the NBA. The Raptors rank third in assist rate and fourth in assists per game.
And when you are going against a defense like the Atlanta Hawks, there should be more opportunities for easy buckets and racking up those assists. Atlanta ranks 27th in defensive rating, 29th in opponent eFG%, and 29th in opponent assists per game.
So, which Raptors player is giving us the most value when it comes to their assist prop today? I’m looking at Pascal Siakam odds.
The Raptors forward is averaging 5.1 assists per 36 minutes so it’s not a surprise to see his assist prop sitting at 5.5 against a Hawks team that gives up a lot of easy buckets and, in turn, assists.
Siakam has dished out six or more dimes in five of his last 11 games and this matchup against the Hawks couldn’t be much better when it comes to getting those assist numbers up. But it’s the +120 price tag on the Over that means we can make this bet with confidence.
My best bet: Pascal Siakam Over 5.5 assists (+120 at Pointsbet)
Hawks vs Raptors same-game parlay
Pascal Siakam Over 5.5 assists
Jakob Poeltl Over 2.5 assists
Dejounte Murray Over 4.5 assists
Siakam's not the only Raptors I see with value when it comes to their assists prop in this matchup.
Raptors center Jakob Poeltl has shown he has great vision and touch for a big man this season, despite averaging 2.2 assists per game. I think Jak and Pascal work some of their big-man two-man action in this one. Atlanta gives up 9.1 assists per game to opposing centers, which ranks 21st in the NBA.
Let’s make this SGP an assists frenzy because the Hawks aren’t the only team in this matchup that is susceptible to dimes. The Raptors rank 20th in opponent assists per game. Hawks guard Dejounte Murray averages 5.4 assists per game yet you can get his assists prop at 4.5. A number he has gone Over in 14 of his 22 games.
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Hawks vs Raptors spread and Over/Under analysis
The Raptors continue to be a perplexing team to handicap. A couple of weeks ago, they were coming off an impressive win over the Suns that looked like it was something they could build on. Then they dropped four in a row, including as home favorites to a short-handed Miami Heat and a road game to the Charlotte Hornets.
Raptors shooting continues to be an issue, but the big problem recently is that the defense appears to have taken a step back. Toronto now ranks 20th in defensive rating and 24th in opponent 3-point shooting percentage.
Meanwhile, it’s the same old problems for the Hawks. All offense, no defense. Atlanta ranks fifth in offensive rating, but 27th in defensive rating.
No wonder, this game is close to a toss-up. Toronto opened this matchup as slight 2-point favorites but it has been Atlanta seeing the early money, dropping the line to 1.5.
I’m staying away from the spread because there's too much variance. This could be a blowout win for either team or anything in the middle. That said, that could create some interest in the total, which hit the board at 239 and has been up to 241 as of early Wednesday afternoon.
Atlanta is third in the NBA when it comes to scoring offense at 122.2 points per game while surrendering 122.8 points per game and Toronto has shown it can put up some decent scoring numbers against weaker defensive teams. I would lean toward the Over here.
Hawks vs Raptors betting trend to know
The Hawks have gone Over the game total in 42 of their last 68 games dating back to last season for +14.2 units. Find more NBA betting trends for Hawks vs. Raptors.
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Hawks vs Raptors game info
| Location: | Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON |
| Date: | Wednesday, December 13, 2023 |
| Tip-off: | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Sportsnet One |
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