The 2022-23 NBA regular season is now behind us and 12 teams have clinched playoff berths. The last four spots, two in each conference, will be up for grabs in the NBA Play-In Tournament that kicks off tonight.
The first matchup will be between Southeast Division rivals, the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks. The teams faced off four times during the regular season, with the Heat winning the season series 3-1.
Whoever wins tonight’s matchup will earn the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference and have a first-round series against the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics. The loser will play again on Thursday and host the winner of the other play-in game between the Chicago Bulls and Toronto Raptors.
What can we expect to see in the game tonight? Here is all you need to know and some predictions for the first play-in game between the Heat and Hawks.
Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat Broadcast Info
Date: April 11th, 2023
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Location: Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
TV Channel: TNT
Live Stream: Watch TNT, TNT App
Injury Report For Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat
Atlanta Hawks Injury Report: Trent Forrest – Out – G League Two-Way, Donovan Williams – Out – G League Two-Way
Miami Heat Injury Report: Nikola Jovic – Out – Back; Spasms, Kyle Lowry – Questionable – Left Knee; Soreness, Max Strus – Probable – Right 2nd Finger; Hyperextension
Expected Starters For Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat
Atlanta Hawks Expected Starting Lineup: G Trae Young, G Dejounte Murray, F De’Andre Hunter, F John Collins, C Clint Capela
Miami Heat Expected Starting Lineup: G Gabe Vincent, G Tyler Herro, F Max Strus, F Jimmy Butler, C Bam Adebayo
Betting Odds For Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat
Hawks vs. Heat Spread: Heat -5
Hawks vs. Heat Over/Under Total: 228 Points
Hawks vs. Heat Moneylines: Hawks +180, Heat -210
This matchup is one of stylistic differences. The Heat play a slow, defensive-minded game as the lowest-scoring team in the NBA. The Hawks, on the other hand, play a faster brand of basketball that is more reliant on their offense than their defense.
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS COVERAGE: Atlanta Hawks & Miami Heat Updates
Whichever team can exert their will on the other and control the tempo will have a major advantage in this game. If the Heat make it a grind, they have a huge advantage. Despite their low-scoring style, they should find success against the porous defense that the Hawks play.
Dejounte Murray can’t defend everyone at once, so Atlanta will need De’Andre Hunter to also step it up. They will likely be tasked with slowing down Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler, who makes for two of the better matchups to keep an eye on in the game.
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS COVERAGE: Atlanta Hawks & Miami Heat Updates
Ultimately, this is a game that pits two underachieving teams against each other. Both have made deep runs into the postseason in recent years but came up short during the 2022-23 season. Unless Trae Young can explode for an efficient night to put pressure on the Heat defense, this is a game that Miami should be able to win with relative ease.
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