The NBA Play-In Tournament will include a matchup from the previous year’s playoffs for the first time since it began in 2020.
The 7-seed Heat host the 8-seed Hawks to kick off the 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament. The winner advances to play the 2-seed Celtics in the first round. The Heat, who were the top seed in the East last year, opened the postseason by defeating the Hawks, who were placed eight, in five games.
Since then, a lot has changed, but many of the important actors have remained the same. Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler continue to be the guys in Miami. Adebayo is the only player to be chosen for the All-Star game this year, but Butler had an All-NBA season, averaging 22.9 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.
Few players are more dreadful than Butler in a winner-takes-all scenario.
Trae Young is still the starting point for Atlanta, but he now has Dejounte Murray as a new backcourt partner to make things simpler. A powerful roster that also includes Clint Capela, John Collins, and De’Andre Hunter is led by the backcourt tandem.
Both the Heat and Hawks qualified for the Play-In Tournament despite having inconsistent seasons. Even though Miami has experienced its fair share of injuries, it is still one of the NBA’s toughest teams. After appointing head coach Quin Snyder in the middle of the season, Atlanta, which had been stuck around the.500 mark for months, has rediscovered its way.
During the NBA Playoffs’ opening game in Boston, which team will ship up? Before the Heat and Hawks play one other in a Play-In Tournament game, The Sporting News has you covered with all the information you require.
Heat vs Hawks Betting Odds
Here are the Heat vs Hawks Betting Odds, brought to you by YouWager.lv:
- Atlanta Hawks: Point Spread +5 -110, Moneyline +170,
- Miami Heat: Point Spread -5 -110, Moneyline -200
- Total 227.5 Over/Under
Learn how to bet on sports with this easy guide and then try your luck with a bet on your favorite pick at YouWager.lv:
Heat vs Hawks Regular Season Series 2022–23
Miami won three of the four encounters it had with Atlanta this year, although each game was decided by a single point.
- Heat 106, Hawks 98, on November 27, 2022
- 2023-01-16: Hawks 121, Heat 113
- 2023-03-04 Heat 117, Hawks 109
- Hawks 128 vs. 130 Heat on March 6, 2023
Butler averaged 25.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 6.3 rebounds per game versus the Hawks this season while playing in three of the four contests.
Averaging 19.8 points and 9.8 assists while shooting 35.6 percent from the field and 20.8 percent from 3-point range, Young had a terrible time versus Miami in his four games.
Butler came close to a triple-double in the final matchup of the season, finishing with 26 points (on 8 of 14 shooting), 10 rebounds, and 9 assists to lead Miami to a slim victory.
Key plot point in Heat vs Hawks: The Dejounte Murray effect
The Heat have all the requisite defensive players to make Young’s life challenging. That’s exactly what they’ve done in the past.
The two-time All-Star struggled against Miami’s length during last year’s playoffs, when he averaged 15.4 points and 6.0 assists in the first round while shooting 31.9 percent from the floor and 18.4 percent from 3-point range. Miami also made Young turn the ball over 31 times in just five games.
The Heat developed a strategy for containing Young, Atlanta’s primary and backup ballhandler at the time, in a single series.
The Hawks made a huge move to sign Murray this offseason in an effort to counteract similar schemes going forward. By doing so, they added a player who can lessen Young’s playmaking workload and make it more difficult for teams to go all-out on shutting him down.
Although the two are still getting used to living together, Murray has been an important player for the Hawks this season, averaging 20.5 points, 6.1 assists, and 5.3 rebounds across 74 games.
The Hawks’ Play-In game on Tuesday will be a wonderful indicator of what Murray can be for them now and in the future as they work to establish themselves as perennial contenders.
Prediction for Heat vs. Hawks
Prediction: Heat wins
Although Young excelled in the Play-In Tournament last year, his difficulties versus the Heat are simply too great to ignore. The Heat win this one, especially at home, when you combine that with Butler’s capacity to take over in a winner-take-all scenario.
Given Atlanta’s frontcourt’s depth outside of Butler, Miami ought to get Adebayo in his aggressive form, who ought to be involved right away.
Miami is aware that it has the opportunity to take care of business and face Boston on Saturday. This Heat team has all the drive it needs.
