Atlanta Hawks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers odds and best bet

These teams have the same record now so maybe the play-in thing is not as unfair as it is on the other side, where some teams in the West received the chance to extend their seasons even though they were never above .500 at any point this year

Cleveland lost against Brooklyn on Tuesday. The Cavs did not play poorly. They were just undermanned against a team featuring a couple of the best scorers in the NBA. Guard Darius Garland showed the future of the team is not that far off though. It is just too bad how ravaged Cleveland has been by injuries this season because its peak was impressive. 

Atlanta was impressive in its win against Charlotte on Wednesday, though for the second year in a row the Hornets pretty much mailed it in. Guard Trae Young played a great game, and it will be a fun matchup to see him against Garland. He does have a lot more scoring around him though so whichever team sets the pace it wants is going to be key in which one gets the win. 

Game Info

Atlanta Hawks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
Friday, April 15, 2022
7:00 PM ET
Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, Ohio
ESPN

Betting Odds

Spread: Hawks -3 (-110), Cavaliers +3 (-110)
Total: 225
Moneyline: Hawks -150, Cavaliers +125

Best Bet

Hawks -3

The Cavs get to host this matchup, but that is probably the only advantage they have on Friday.

Cleveland has some vets like Kevin Love, but Atlanta was in the playoffs last season. Like last year, the Hawks were among the better teams in the league over the last third of the season even though they finished ninth.

Young has proved he can be a wonderful playoff performer, and I am excited to see him and Garland face off against each other. Garland might be better going downhill, but Young is definitely the better shooter and surrounded by better shooters too. That is how the Hawks downed the Hornets with ease on Wednesday — they made 50% of their shots from behind the arc. 

Cleveland is night and day better than Charlotte on defense so the looks are going to be more difficult, and in Evan Mobley, the Cavs have one of the most disruptive defensive players in the game. Cleveland just doesn't seem to have enough to really compete thanks to all the injuries. 

Even if the Cavaliers can cool down Atlanta, they have to find consistent offense beyond Garland. Caris LeVert is talented but too inconsistent, and he and Lauri Markkanen shot 9-for-26 against Brooklyn, a mediocre defensive team at best. Atlanta is a little better than the Nets at that end, and those guys are going to need to be a lot better — otherwise Atlanta is going to pull away.

There is a lot to like about the Cavs' future, but their season ends Friday. 

In case you were wondering, Cleveland took the first game of the season series, and then Atlanta won the next three, covering each time. That is not encouraging for the home side while it mirrors the general trends of these teams over the course of the season.