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NBA Playoff Odds: Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat Game 6

Written by Jimmy Boyd

hawks-heat-game-6-43009 The Atlanta Hawks have battled their way out of a 1-2 hole by winning each of the last two games decisively to take a 3-2 series lead over the Miami Heat. It’s do or die for Dwayne Wade and company Friday night, but at least they’ll have home court on their side when they try to extend this series. You can catch the game at 8:00 pm EST on ESPN. NBA odds makers are convinced this thing is going 7 games, listing the Miami Heat as a 5-point favorite with the total set at 182.

This series has seen one lopsided victory after another as no game has been decided by single digits. After the Hawks ran the Heat out of the gym in Game 1 with a 90-64 win, the Heat struck back in Games 2 and 3, winning by 15 and 29 points respectively. The Heat have been hit in the mouth each of the last two games though, and now they will be forced to bounce back or their 2009 playoff journey will be over. Dwayne Wade has been as good as advertised in the postseason, despite being hampered by nagging injuries. He is averaging 26.4 points, 6.2 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game. The Heat are going to need a strong performance from Jermaine O’Neal if they hope to win Game 6. O’Neal struggled in Games 1 and 5 and, not surprisingly, the result was a Miami loss in both games. You have to like Miami’s chances of staying alive at home when you consider that the Heat were 28-13 at home during the regular season and the Hawks were just 16-25 on the road. Losing Jamario Moon hurts and Wade and O’Neal are both banged up, but I expect the Heat will not be lacking intensity after a pair of defeats. If you like Miami to force a Game 7, bet the Heat at -5 at BetUS.

Atlanta is the deeper, more athletic team, but you never know which Atlanta team will show up, especially on the road where it has struggled all season. Will it be the one that was slaughtered in Game 3 or the one that was sensational defensively in Game 4? After back-to-back wins to take the series lead, it is important that the Hawks avoid a letdown, and go into Miami with a killer instinct. The Hawks have a huge edge in terms of athleticism and if they make Game 6 a track meet, the Heat are going to have trouble keeping up. Veteran point guard Mike Bibby will play a big role in whether Atlanta can get the job done in 6 or if this thing will head back to Atlanta for a Game 7. This young Atlanta team has lost its composure at times and often goes through scoring droughts because of poor shot selection. It will be up to Bibby to keep the young Hawks players poised and to run the show. Bibby is averaging 14.6 points per game in the series, but only 4.4 assists. I’d like to see him look to get out in transition a little more and into the paint more often in the half court to draw defenders and to set up his teammates. If you think Atlanta is ready to close the door on the Heat, bet the Hawks at +5 at BetUS.

Make sure you check out Jimmy’s NBA picks before doing any NBA betting on this matchup.

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