Atlanta Hawks at Cleveland Cavaliers, Game 1
The Atlanta Hawks have exactly one road playoff win in the past 12 years and have never advanced past the second round of the NBA playoffs since the Association went to a four-round format.
So is there any hope of a Game 1 win at a Cleveland team that was 39-2 at home this season and had eight days off to rest and prepare?
Doubtful, and oddsmakers at WagerWeb.com list the Cavs as 11.5-point favorites, with an over/under of 179.
The Cavs crunched the Hawks in the two regular-season games in Cleveland (one was sort of close just in the score at the end, but the Cavs led in that one by 24). Atlanta won the first home meeting with Cleveland this year and should have won the second, blowing a late lead, so maybe this series will at least go six games or so.
And there is good injury news for the Hawks: Small forward Marvin Williams should be able to play significant minutes after sitting out for all but five minutes of the final five games of the first-round series against the Heat with a sprained wrist.
Williams won’t start, but he was a key defender on NBA MVP LeBron James in the regular season. Mo Evans will start again for Williams.
“We struggled to score some (against Miami), and there was 14 points sitting on the sidelines,” Hawks coach Mike Woodson said of Williams. “He told me after practice that he’s ready to go. We need him.”
Cleveland has covered its past eight games and just crushed the Pistons, sweeping Detroit with double-digit wins in each. That series ended way back on April 26.
James averaged 26.3 points in the regular season against Atlanta, while Hawks All-Star Joe Johnson averaged just 16.5 points against Cleveland.
“First and foremost, Joe Johnson,” Cavs forward Joe Smith said of Johnson. “He’s their engine. He gets them going.”
The 6-foot-7 Johnson averaged 21.4 points and 5.8 assists per game during the season and gives the Hawks the edge in the backcourt with point guard Mike Bibby.
In fact, one could argue the Hawks might have the edge at three of the starting positions, not to mention much superior athletes. But the Cavs have LeBron, and that’s all that matters.
WagerWeb.com Key Trends
* Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
* Over is 4-1 in the last 5 meetings in Cleveland.
* Hawks are 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings in Cleveland.
* Hawks are 5-2 ATS in the last 7 meetings.
* Underdog is 4-1 ATS in the last 5 meetings.
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