Hawks look to Soar over the Suns – Phoenix at Atlanta (-4.5)

Phoenix Suns at Atlanta Hawks
Friday, January 15th – 8:05 PM ET
Basketball Betting Point Spread: Hawks -4.5

The Week That Was: Suns

The Suns lost to Miami, 109-105, on Jan 8. Phoenix committed 17 turnovers compared to Miami’s nine giveaways. Miami center Jermaine O’Neal produced four points in the final 30 seconds to darken the outlook in the Valley of the Suns.

This struggling Pacific Division club briefly rallied to beat Milwaukee, 105-101, on Jan 11. The Suns led 36-15 after the first quarter but watched the Bucks outscore them by nine points (27-18 and 34-25) in the second and third quarters, respectively. Considering the fact that Phoenix blew a 13-point second-quarter lead against Miami, it’s become apparent that an inability to maintain early leads – and the energy which accompanies them – has become the Suns’ most alarming and urgent concern.

That unique problem – blowing early leads – continued to rear its ugly head on Wednesday night, when the Suns gained a 24-point lead at Indiana and promptly squandered it in a 122-114 defeat. A 58-34 lead midway through the second quarter meant little for coach Alvin Gentry’s roster, which conceded 70 points to the Pacers in a defense-free second half nightmare.

The Week That Was: Hawks

The Hawks had a delightful week in which they ran their season record against the Boston Celtics to 3-0. Mike Woodson’s club dispatched the Celtics at home on Jan. 8 by a 93-85 count, and then traveled to Boston on Jan. 11 to post a 102-96 victory.

In the first slaying of the Celts, the Hawks used Al Horford’s 7-of-10 shooting performance to spearhead an efficient offensive evening in Georgia. Atlanta shot 49 percent from the field in an eight-point triumph. In the second win over Boston, a key series of technical fouls on the Celtics’ coaching staff abruptly shifted momentum midway through the third quarter in Beantown. Joe Johnson threw down 36 points for Atlanta, while Jamal Crawford scored the game’s final six points. The Celtics lacked their dynamic big man, Kevin Garnett, and the Hawks were able to hit those holes usually plugged up by the Big Ticket.

Yes, Atlanta played other games this past week. The Hawks endured a 113-81 thrashing on Jan. 9 at the hands of the Orlando Magic, but this sweep of the Celtics made that loss relatively painless. The Hawks wrapped up their seven-day stretch with a 94-82 win over Washington on Wednesday night.

Outlook & Pick

The Suns can never hold onto a big early lead and are in the midst of a long road trip. The Hawks are full of confidence after two wins against Boston and are enjoying a home stand. Atlanta is faster than Phoenix and is more committed to team defense. Throw in the intangible advantages, and this game should not be close. Atlanta should romp on its home court.

Expert Pick: Hawks -4.5