The Miami Heat have come into these playoffs with a bit of a chip on their shoulder, and for good reason. Despite the fact that the Heat snagged the top seed in the Eastern Conference, they entered the playoffs fifth on the odds list to win the NBA championship. This seems to have motivated them, at least so far, as they beat Atlanta by a combined total of 34 points in Games 1 and 2. Now the series heads to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4, and it will be interesting to see how the Heat, who had the best home record in the NBA this season, fare on the road. Read on to find out our online NBA betting prediction for Game 3 of this Eastern conference quarterfinal series.
NBA Playoff Preview: Miami Heat at Atlanta Hawks, Game 3
When: Friday, April 22, 2022, 7:00 pm ET
Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta
TV: ESPN
Radio: WZGC 92.9 FM Atlanta / WAXY 790 AM Miami
Live Stream: Sling TV
NBA Odds: Miami -1.5 / O/U 220.5 / Miami -120 / Atlanta +100
Why should you bet on the Hawks?
Jimmy Butler will not remain red-hot forever. He did come out with his typical postseason intensity, and he put up 21 points in Game 1 and 45 in Game 2. In Game 2, he also went four of seven from behind the arc, well above his season average (23.3%). Butler is one of the most electrifying players in this postseason, but he’s not typically a scorer at this volume. He will need to contribute on the defensive end as wel, and so far he has been able to get inside Trae Young’s head, as the Hawks star has only made 34.4% of his shots in Games 1 and 2, including 11.8% from the three-point line. Expect Butler’s defensive effort to continue, but his shooting will cool off, and when it does, the Hawks will benefit.
Remember that the Hawks had to win two play-in games last week, while all the Heat had to do was sit and rest. With two days off between Games 2 and 3, the Hawks have some time to catch their breath and enjoy the comforts of home before welcoming the Heat. This is a Hawk team that fought all the way to the East finals a couple of seasons ago, and getting out to a nice lead in the first half of Game 3 could turn the momentum of this series.
Why should you put your money on the Heat?
While Jimmy Butler has been playing above his numbers, Tyler Herro has been playing below his. Herro is the frontrunner for Sixth Man of the Year, butin Games 1 and 2, he has only scored 21 points combined, shooting 8 of 22 from the floor, including 1 of 8 from the three-point arc. He will get going at some point, forcing the Hawks to account for him more with their defense. Herro averaged 20.7 points per game in the regular season, and expect him to find his shot and put up more points in Game 3.
Bam Adebayo does not have anybody in the paint who can stop him on the boards. Atlanta is without Clint Capela, their starting center, as he went down to injury in the play-in tournament, and John Collins remains out. Onyeka Okonkwo has done his best in filling Capela’s shoes, but he can’t keep up with Adebayo on either end of the floor. Adebayo has 15 points and 10 boards in the first two games combined, but he averaged 19.1 points and 10.1 boards per game in the regular season, so he needs to establish himself in Atlanta. This is a matchup that the Heat can exploit all night long.
Final Score and Prediction
Miami has come into Games 1 and 2 with the attitude of a disrespected champion. Obviously, they have some more games to win before they are a postseason champion, but their elite play this season got them that top seed. I think the Hawks bring plenty of effort, but I see Miami dominating the paint and winning, 108-103.
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