8* Take Detroit – Atlanta OVER (#509-510)

The Hawks have gone Under the total in nine straight games, many of them by double digit margins.  At the start of their Under streak, the Hawks were lined O/U 245 in a win at Brooklyn.  Now we’re looking at totals in the 220 range, a massive market adjustment.  For the purposes of tonight’s game, it’s an overadjustment!

The Pistons aren’t playing much defense these days, now ranked #25 in the NBA in defensive efficiency.  They certainly didn’t have a defensive answer for Atlanta in the first meeting between these two teams this year, a 128-120 shootout.  The Pistons hung 136 and 128 against the Hawks in their final two meetings against them last year, both games flying Over the total.  With rookie point guard Killian Hayes injured, Detroit is a MUCH better offensive team right now compared to at the start of the season when they were forcing minutes for a rookie trying to acclimate to the NBA.

Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce following Atlanta’s much needed win over Minnesota without Karl Anthony Towns earlier in the week: “We continue to try to play fast.”  The Hawks set a season high with 32 assists in that game, and after a bevy of cold shooting from three point range of late, the Hawks hit at a 39% clip, a good sign moving forward.  Expect a high scoring affair, start to finish, just like every recent meeting between these two teams.  Take the OVER.