Saturday NBA Pick Against The Spread – Atlanta Hawks at Brooklyn Nets

6PM EST

Opening Line: Nets -6.5 and 227.5
Current Line: Nets -7 and 228

The Hawks are in the midst of a six game losing streak, which isn’t surprising as they don’t win many games as the East’s worst team and trailing only the Warriors by a half game for the league’s worst record. On the six game skid, the three home games weren’t as ugly as the average margin of defeat was just 6.7 points. It’s on the road where it’s been truly ugly for them. The average margin of defeat in the three road games was a whopping 23.7 points, and they’ve been the most routable team in the league in away games. Their average point differential in 15 road games, including three wins is -15.2 per game. The Hawks are additionally the worst team in the league by quite a wide margin in defensive efficiency in away games. The Nets are a slightly better home team than away team, sporting an 8-5 home mark. The most notable statistic is on the defensive side for Brooklyn, as they allow five fewer points per game at home than on the road. The play here on the Nets is only slightly about them and more about attacking the Hawks with a point spread that is just screaming too low. The Hawks ability to be competitive continues to be in the best of best games from the replacement level cast of characters alongside Trae Young, and those simply don’t come on the road. Take the Nets on Sunday.

The Pacers -4.5 took an 11 point lead into halftime, and it was never more narrow than that, ultimately winning by 14. As I thought might happen, Hield struggled with Fox present and scored just seven points despite taking 15 shots. The 76ers on the other hand, were a full on bust. They were abjectly putrid on both ends of the floor and no player outside of Embiid scored more than 12 points. The 76ers were never even in the game at any point in the second half.

1-1  brings us to 34-27 on the season

TJ Calkins was raised in a gambling loving household. He knew how to handicap horse races and follow line movements well before his tenth birthday.