Cavaliers Look to Secure Playoff Spot Against Hawks in NBA Play-In Tournament Showdown

Cavaliers Look to Secure Playoff Spot Against Hawks in NBA Play-In Tournament Showdown

By Marcus Sullivan

February 7, 2025 at 07:13 AM

The NBA Play-In Tournament matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks will determine who secures the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Here's what you need to know:

Current Betting Lines (betJACK):

  • Hawks -2.5 spread
  • Over/Under: 223.5

Cavaliers Analysis:

  • Struggled early against Nets (down 40-20 in first quarter) but showed resilience
  • Darius Garland scored 34 points on 13-of-24 shooting
  • Evan Mobley contributed 19 points and 7 rebounds
  • Jarrett Allen (broken finger) is questionable
  • Strong floor spacing with Kevin Love and Lauri Markkanen stretching defenses

Hawks Analysis:

  • Dominated Charlotte in previous play-in game
  • Trae Young posted 24 points and 11 assists (despite shooting 8-of-24)
  • Clint Capela recorded 15 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 blocks
  • Team has playoff experience from last year's Eastern Conference Finals run

Prediction: Hawks should edge out the Cavaliers in a close game, leveraging their recent playoff experience and home-court advantage. Their balanced scoring attack and playoff-tested roster give them a slight edge in this win-or-go-home scenario.

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