by Chuck Sommers
Tuesday, Jan 24, 2023
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Venue: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Where to watch: BSOK, BSSE-ATL
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Thunder -1; O/U 236.5
FanDuel: Thunder -1; O/U 236.5
BetMGM: Thunder -1.5; O/U 236.5
Caesars: Thunder -1; O/U 237.5
Season record
Hawks: 24-24
Thunder: 23-24
The second half of the basketball season is upon us, and what a cluster we've got in the standings right now, right? So many teams are in the playoff hunt, so many teams not expected to make the playoffs are in the process of trying to prove people wrong. You know who doesn't need to be made wrong? Our champion handicappers who have been killing it all year long. Scott Rickenbach is coming off a 5-2-0 week over the last seven days, while Doc's Sports has been efficient at 14-8-0 over the last 30 days. Do you want to get on this winning? Make sure you're following our champion handicappers at bigal.com to celebrate in these moments!
Hawks - Thunder preview, prediction and analysis
Recent form
Hawks: lost 111-100 at Bulls
Thunder: won 101-99 at Nuggets
The Atlanta Hawks will be playing the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, January 25 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The Atlanta Hawks lost against the Chicago Bulls on Monday, January 23 in Chicago, Illinois with a score of 111-100. The Atlanta Hawks currently rank 2nd in the Southeast Division. Trae Young had 21 points and 13 assists, while Dejounte Murray added 20 points for the Hawks, who have lost two straight after winning five in a row. The Hawks lost their key defender De’Andre Hunter before the game to asthma symptoms.
“They got two really good weapons (DeRozan and LaVine) over there and it is hard to guard a lot of guys in this league 1-on-1. So you have to use multiple guys and when you’re missing probably your best defender, it’s hard," Young said.
"You are going to have to send doubles, you're going to have to do different types of schemes you (wouldn't) have if you had him out there. It's obviously not an excuse why we lost, but I definitely think that's tough when you have two high horses over there.”
The Hawks have dropped two straight after winning five in a row, while also failing to cover in those two. Defense hasn't been a calling card in Atlanta, but the Hawks need to tighten up, or at least adjust in some capacity when they're held below 110 points.
The Oklahoma City Thunder won against the Denver Nuggets last Sunday, January 22 in Denver, Colorado with a score of 101-99. The Oklahoma City Thunder currently rank 3rd in the Northwest Division. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander banked in a decisive 8-foot jumper with 9.2 seconds remaining and finished with 34 points.
After Denver’s Zeke Nnaji hit two free throws to tie the game at 99 with 30 seconds left, Gilgeous-Alexander got the ball out of a timeout and hit the mid-range jumper to give the Thunder the lead.
“He’s got some poise in those situations,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said of Gilgeous-Alexander. “The game slows down for him. He’s got great confidence and he’s always at his pace, even in the most pressure situations.”
Oklahoma City’s victory ended the Nuggets’ 16-game home win streak — the franchise’s longest run in 10 years.
Josh Giddey had 18 points and a team-high nine rebounds for the Thunder, who earned their seventh win in nine games.
The Thunder continue to be incredible, having won seven of their last 10, including five of the last six while going 5-0-1 in the last six against the spread. They're creeping toward .500 basketball and the playoffs could potentially be a thing in Oklahoma City this year.
Prediction
The point guard battle between Trae and SGA is going to be awesome. If you haven't gotten used to the fact that this could be the battle we've longed for, I don't know what to tell you. And in that case, I'm taking the home team. Thunder 114, Hawks 105
The Atlanta Hawks will be playing the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, January 25 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The Atlanta Hawks lost against the Chicago Bulls on Monday, January 23 in Chicago, Illinois with a score of 111-100. The Atlanta Hawks currently rank 2nd in the Southeast Division. Trae Young had 21 points and 13 assists, while Dejounte Murray added 20 points for the Hawks, who have lost two straight after winning five in a row. The Hawks lost their key defender De’Andre Hunter before the game to asthma symptoms.
“They got two really good weapons (DeRozan and LaVine) over there and it is hard to guard a lot of guys in this league 1-on-1. So you have to use multiple guys and when you’re missing probably your best defender, it’s hard," Young said.
"You are going to have to send doubles, you're going to have to do different types of schemes you (wouldn't) have if you had him out there. It's obviously not an excuse why we lost, but I definitely think that's tough when you have two high horses over there.”
The Hawks have dropped two straight after winning five in a row, while also failing to cover in those two. Defense hasn't been a calling card in Atlanta, but the Hawks need to tighten up, or at least adjust in some capacity when they're held below 110 points.
The Oklahoma City Thunder won against the Denver Nuggets last Sunday, January 22 in Denver, Colorado with a score of 101-99. The Oklahoma City Thunder currently rank 3rd in the Northwest Division. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander banked in a decisive 8-foot jumper with 9.2 seconds remaining and finished with 34 points.
After Denver’s Zeke Nnaji hit two free throws to tie the game at 99 with 30 seconds left, Gilgeous-Alexander got the ball out of a timeout and hit the mid-range jumper to give the Thunder the lead.
“He’s got some poise in those situations,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said of Gilgeous-Alexander. “The game slows down for him. He’s got great confidence and he’s always at his pace, even in the most pressure situations.”
Oklahoma City’s victory ended the Nuggets’ 16-game home win streak — the franchise’s longest run in 10 years.
Josh Giddey had 18 points and a team-high nine rebounds for the Thunder, who earned their seventh win in nine games.
The Thunder continue to be incredible, having won seven of their last 10, including five of the last six while going 5-0-1 in the last six against the spread. They're creeping toward .500 basketball and the playoffs could potentially be a thing in Oklahoma City this year.
Prediction
The point guard battle between Trae and SGA is going to be awesome. If you haven't gotten used to the fact that this could be the battle we've longed for, I don't know what to tell you. And in that case, I'm taking the home team. Thunder 114, Hawks 105
Betting trends
The over is 11-1 in the last 12 meetings in Oklahoma City.
The Hawks are 11-25 ATS in the last 36 meetings.
The Hawks are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 after a straight-up loss by 10 points.
The over is 11-1 in the last 12 meetings in Oklahoma City.
The Hawks are 11-25 ATS in the last 36 meetings.
The Hawks are 5-1 ATS in the last 6 after a straight-up loss by 10 points.
Projected starting lineup
Hawks:
PG: Trae Young
SG: Dejounte Murray
SF: De’Andre Hunter
PF: John Collins
C: Clint Capela
Thunder:
PG: Josh Giddey
SG: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SF: Lu Dort
PF: Jalen Williams
C: Jaylin Williams
Statistical leaders
Hawks:
Points: Trae Young -- 27.1
Rebounds: John Collins -- 7.7
Assists: Trae Young -- 9.8
Thunder:
Points: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander -- 30.6
Rebounds: Josh Giddey -- 8.0
Assists: Josh Giddey -- 5.8
Don't miss our champion handicappers' free picks and expert basketball picks today. And if you enjoyed this Atlanta Hawks - Oklahoma City Thunder prediction, be sure to drop by every day for our daily NBA projections and previews.
Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
