Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks Play-In Game

On Tuesday night, the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks will square off in a play-in game to determine who will be the seventh seed for the Eastern Conference playoffs. The victor advances to the opening round of the postseason.

The Heat have the advantage in this series due to their superior home record (13-25-2 ATS). Unfortunately, they will be facing off against an Atlanta team that has posted just 9-23-2 ATS as a road underdog this season.

Miami Heat

On Tuesday night, the Miami Heat will face off against the Atlanta Hawks in a play-in game to determine who will be the seventh seed for the Eastern Conference. The victor will earn home court advantage throughout the first round of playoffs.

The Heat have won six of their last 10 games and hope to extend that streak when they take on the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday evening. As favorites in this matchup, Miami should come away with a victory due to their impressive play and momentum from previous victories.

The Hawks will be heavy favorites to win this game, as they look to rebound after dropping their last two matches. While they have been struggling lately, the Hawks hope that against the Heat on Tuesday they can turn things around.

Jimmy Butler will lead the Chargers on Tuesday night, as he continues to play some of his best basketball of the season. Since the All-Star break, Butler has averaged 25.6 points per game and should be able to put up a big number against the Hawks.

He could potentially surpass 30 points against the Hawks, as he has scored more than 30 in four of his last five games. If that occurs against Miami, it would be a huge boost for their playoff hopes.

Despite their recent struggles, the Hawks still possess a lot of talent. They boast a top-five defense and are one of the most balanced teams in the league.

The Hawks have been an impressive road team this year, winning 14 of their 20 games away. That has allowed them to remain near the top of the Southeast Division and are currently just three games behind Miami Heat for sixth and final place in the Eastern Conference.

The Hawks will be without point guard Clint Capela for this game, but they still have enough talent and determination to beat Miami. After all, they boast a better record in this series so far than Miami does. However, Miami have been on an incredible run recently and will look to capitalize on any injuries suffered by the Hawks. This should be an exciting matchup to watch and wager on!

Atlanta Hawks

Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks will square off in a play-in game to determine the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The victor will get home-court advantage for the opening round.

The Heat have won three straight games and hold a commanding lead in this matchup. They are 9-3 when games are decided by three points or fewer and 7-2 against the Hawks this season.

Atlanta comes into this game on a three-game winning streak and is 11-2 at State Farm Arena, where they have scored at least 100 points in six of their seven home games this season. Furthermore, Atlanta has won four of its last five road games by an aggregate score of 79 points.

On Wednesday night, Trae Young led six double-figure scorers with 25 points as the Atlanta Hawks cruised to a 134-116 win against Washington Wizards. De'Aaron Fox added 18 points and eight assists for Atlanta, which shot 53.3 percent from the field and 61.3 percent from 3-point range to improve to 41-40 overall.

Despite losing some close games this season to the Hawks, the Heat are still in contention for a top-eight spot in the Eastern Conference and sit two and 1/2 games ahead with one game left to play. They'll have plenty of time to prepare for this game and should be motivated for victory.

Though the Heat have been a dominant force this season, they aren't quite at their desired level of dominance in the paint. Ranking eighth in points per possession and fifth in rebounds, Miami needs to improve on offense to remain competitive.

If they can get their perimeter defense in check, they could give Miami a real challenge here. Their last two games have seen them allow a combined 121.5 points and Miami's defense has ranked 29th in the league this season.

It's not often that a team can string together consecutive games in which they score at least 100 points, but the Hawks have done just that this season. Each of their last two matches have seen them surpass 100 points and average 97 in 10 contests - enough for any victory but won't come easily.

Schedule

On April 15, several teams will take part in the play-in tournament to determine the two final playoff seeds from each conference. The victor of this competition automatically earns their place in the playoffs; those who finish second must win at least two games to advance to the postseason.

On Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. ET, the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks will battle in a play-in game to determine the Eastern Conference's seventh seed in the playoffs. The victor will advance to the first round of the playoffs against either Boston Celtics (East) or Memphis Grizzlies (West).

The Heat have won three of their four regular-season meetings with the Hawks, but this matchup will feature a new starting lineup as Trae Young and Dejounte Murray both return from injury. Both players are expected to play significant roles in this contest which could serve as a preview of how they'll perform in future matches.

This matchup features a number of key players and both teams are eager to make a statement ahead of the playoffs. Miami boasts plenty of talent on their roster, but it may prove challenging for them to overcome an opponent ranked fourth in scoring defense in the league.

The Hawks boast a formidable starting lineup, led by Dejounte Murray and Trae Young. Both players have shown remarkable improvement this season, with each averaging over 20 points per game.

They boast impressive defense, ranking eighth in the league in steals per game. Both teams will strive to control the tempo and keep their opponents from getting too heated in this contest.

Although the Heat are likely to win this matchup, it's essential to remember that they are still young and must exercise patience with their opponents. If they want to have any chance at success during the 2023-2024 season, they must play well and maintain a steady pace.

Predictions

The Miami Heat are looking to extend their franchise-record 18-game winning streak against the Atlanta Hawks in a crucial play-in game. Although the defending champions remain healthy and have been playing strong defense most nights, their offensive struggles have cost them some games recently.

Atlanta boasts a strong defensive squad, but Trae Young has taken his game to another level since returning from injury. Since returning, the Hawks have won five of their last six games with Young averaging 27.0 points and 9.5 assists while shooting 44.5 percent from three-point range.

Though they've lost three of their last four games on the road, the Hawks have kept a 2-2 record at home. Garrison Mathews and De'Andre Hunter have made big contributions off the bench, and they also rested key players on Sunday.

Injury has been a major factor in this series thus far, with Kyle Lowry ruling out Game Four due to a hamstring injury. Lowry is an integral part of Miami Heat's offense and could have had an impactful role in Game Three had he been available late in the fourth quarter.

The Hawks are a solid defensive team, but they're still in rebuilding mode. After suffering a 120-114 defeat to Boston on the road last weekend, they haven't been able to muster up any consistent offensive performance away from home all season long.

Even though they've been inconsistent this season, the Hawks are only 8.5 games behind the New York Knicks for first place in the Eastern Conference. They've proven they can win at home and boast a talented roster led by Trae Young and Jimmy Butler.

Both teams are coming off tough losses, but the Miami Heat will be the clear favorite to win this game. It's a must-win situation for both sides and the Heat have home court advantage as well as favorable head-to-head results against the Hawks.

The Heat have a history of winning close games during the playoffs, so we can expect another thrilling battle. But it will be essential for the Hawks to deliver on Friday night and Saturday before returning home for Game 3.