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- What: NBA Regular Season Game
- When: February 24, 2025
- Who: Miami Heat vs. Atlanta Hawks
- Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
- Where: State Farm Arena (Atlanta, GA)
The Miami Heat, the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, will take on the ninth-place Atlanta Hawks on February 24th at 7:30 PM ET at State Farm Arena.
The Heat are coming off a difficult 120-113 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the Hawks are looking to bounce back from a three-game losing streak, having suffered a 148-143 overtime defeat at home to the Detroit Pistons on Sunday.
This matchup marks the second of four regular-season meetings between the two teams, with their next encounter scheduled for Wednesday. Previously, the Hawks secured a 120-110 victory at home on December 28.
Before we examine our picks, be sure to check out the best NBA Basketball Betting Sites.
Game Preview (Heat vs. Hawks)
Spread 
Miami Heat -1.5 Points -110 -110 -110 Atlanta Hawks +1.5 Points -110 -110 -110
The Miami Heat are facing challenges after dropping five of their last six games.
Offensively, Miami averages 110.0 points per game, shooting 45.5% from the field and 36.0% from beyond the arc. Its free-throw percentage is 78.9.
As the Heat adjust to life without Jimmy Butler, it’s crucial for their offense to find more consistency. Without Butler in the lineup, the Heat are making fewer free throws.
On the defensive front, the Heat have made significant strides this season. They concede an average of 110.7 points per game, while opponents shoot 46.1% from the field and 35.8% from three-point territory.
https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/status/1893848732099022881
On the offensive side, the Hawks are averaging 116.6 points per game, which ranks them eighth in the league. Their efficiency stands out, with a field goal percentage of 46.2 and a three-point percentage of 34.8.
However, they need to improve at the free-throw line, which has a 77.0% success rate. On a more positive note, they perform well on the boards, averaging 45.1 rebounds per game.
Trae Young, leading the way with 24.0 points per game, must step up to guide this Atlanta team. Defensively, the Hawks are struggling significantly, allowing an average of 119.1 points per game.
Opponents have been effective against them, allowing a field goal percentage of 48.3 and a three-point percentage of 36.7. However, they need to tighten up on the defensive end moving forward.
Given these factors, backing the Atlanta Hawks to cover the 1.5-point spread at home is the play in this one.
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Total Points
Let’s examine the total points prop in this one. Since the Jimmy Butler trade, the Heat’s entire offense has changed.
Total Points Over 226.5 -110 -110 -110 Under 226.5 -110 -110 -110
The two offenses are currently displaying contrasting performances. The Heat have scored an average of 101.0 points over their last five games, while the Hawks have averaged 123.3 points in their previous four outings.
There’s also a notable disparity in offensive rebounds: Miami ranks 26th in the league with just 9.7 offensive boards per game, compared to Atlanta’s 11.9.
https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/status/1893845681082638591
Both teams are facing some defensive challenges, with Miami allowing an average of 114.7 points in their last three games and Atlanta surrendering 120.0 points over their last four.
On the brighter side, both squads have been performing well in terms of their assist-to-turnover ratios. The Heat is 13th in the NBA with a 1.91 ratio, and the Hawks are closely behind, 15th with a 1.84 ratio.
Overall, expecting the total to exceed in this matchup seems wise. I would bet over 226.5 points at -110 odds.
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