Hawks vs. 76ers Predictions, Odds, Preview



June 16, 2021
by Michael Crosson
NBA Expert
VegasInsider.com

Eastern Conference postseason action will resume on Wednesday night with a pivotal Game 5 between the Hawks and Sixers set to kick off TNT’s nationally televised double-header at 7:30 Eastern time in The City of Brotherly Love.

Hawks vs. 76ers Betting Resources

Betting Odds - Hawks vs. 76ers

Subject to Change

  • Spread: 76ers -6
  • Money-Line: Philadelphia -250, Atlanta +210
  • Total: 223.5

After blowing an 18-point lead on the road in Game 4, the Sixers return to the Wells Fargo Center as a six-point favorite over the visiting Hawks.

The total for Wednesday’s event is currently stationed at OU 223.5 – which is the lowest over-under set for a matchup in this series since Game 1’s lofty over result (128-124, O 219).


The Hawks and 76ers are all knotted up at 2-2 with a pivotal Game 5 coming up Wednesday night in Philadelphia. (AP)

Hawks vs. 76ers Current Form

After posting dominant four-to-one victories to start their respective postseason campaigns, the Hawks and Sixers opened this second-round series with one gigantic rollercoaster of an affair – as Atlanta jumped out to a 26-point lead in the first half of Game 1 behind a combined 7-of-10 long-range performance from Trae Young and Bojan Bogdanovic.

Only to have that lead slowly shrunken down to four points before the conclusion of the event, as Philadelphia’s suffocating second-half defense nearly paved the way for Joel Embiid and company to pull off a stunning comeback in the opener – outscoring the Hawks 70-54 in the final two stanzas of the narrow loss mainly thanks to Young and Bogdanovic shooting just 2-of-13 from downtown during those periods.

The next few squabbles between them looked a lot like the end of the first matchup, as the Sixers rumbled to a pair of decisive 16-point victories while asserting a convincing series-advantage in Games 2 and 3 – and appeared to have Atlanta on the ropes again in Game 4 by building a commanding 18-point lead in the second quarter.

The Sixers completely fell apart on offense down the stretch of their latest head-scratching loss though, as Embiid contributed just four points 0-of-12 shooting during Philadelphia’s disastrous 38-point performance in the second half of Game 4 – deadlocking this series at two games apiece heading into Wednesday’s Game 5.

Hawks vs. 76ers Head-to-Head

  • Jun. 14, 2021 - Hawks 103 vs. 76ers 100, Atlanta +3, Under 226
  • Jun. 11, 2021 - 76ers 127 at Hawks 111, Philadelphia -2, Over 224.5
  • Jun. 8, 2021 - 76ers 118 vs. Hawks 102, Philadelphia -6.5, Under 225.5
  • Jun. 6, 2021 - Hawks 128 at 76ers 124, Atlanta +4.5, Over 219.5
  • Apr. 30, 2021 - 76ers 126 vs. Hawks 104, Philadelphia -7.5, Over 224
  • Apr. 28, 2021 - 76ers 127 vs. Hawks 83, Philadelphia -9.5, Under 213
  • Jan. 11, 2021 - Hawks 112 vs. 76ers 94, Atlanta -6, Under 223.5

The Sixers won two of three matchups against Atlanta during the regular season – with their first two meetings staying 'under' the total due to the losers of those affairs averaging just 88.5 points per game, and the third cruising over the number as a result of these teams combining for 230 points during a blowout victory for Philadelphia (126-104).

Atlanta’s lone win over the Sixers came during Philadelphia’s mid-January COVID-19 crisis, as Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, Seth Curry, Shake Milton, and Matisse Thybulle were all forced to sit out for health and safety reasons – resulting in an 18-point victory for the Hawks.

The Sixers were healthy for their back-to-back set against Atlanta at the end of April though, and things played out much differently – as Philadelphia throttled the Hawks by an average of 33 points in a pair of home victories to close out the month.


(SU-Straight Up, ATS - Against the Spread, OU - Over-Under)

Atlanta Hawks Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats (2020-2021)

  • Overall: 47-34 SU, 45-35-1 ATS, 38-43 OU
  • Road: 19-22 SU, 19-21-1 ATS, 20-21-1 OU

After finishing up the regular season tied with New York in the standings at 41-31, the Hawks stumbled out of the gate in The Big Apple to start their first-round series – as Atlanta narrowly toppled the Knicks in Game 1 at MSG on Young’s game-winning floater, which was followed by a disappointing nine-point loss in Game 2.

The Hawks played the following three matchups with a chip on their shoulder though, as Atlanta stomped the Knicks by an average of 14 points the rest of the way – which included a dominant series-ending victory at MSG in Game 5 (103-89).

The Hawks were lights out to kick off their series-opener against Philadelphia – outscoring the Sixers, 74-54 in the first half of Game 1, which enabled Atlanta to narrowly cling onto a four-point win in the event.

In their following five ‘halves’ though, the Sixers went on to outscore them by 9.6 points per half – resulting in a pair of dominant double-digit victories for Philadelphia in Games 2 and 3.

Philadelphia 76ers Betting Outlook

Inside the Stats (2020-2021)

  • Overall: 55-26 SU, 43-35-3 ATS, 40-41 OU
  • Home: 33-8 SU, 25-15-1 ATS, 24-17 OU

After stringing together consecutive dominant outings against Atlanta, the Sixers suffered an epic meltdown in the second half of Game 4 – as Philadelphia scored just 38 points on 32% from the field and 4-of-16 from downtown in the final two stanzas of the shameful loss.

Fortunately, the Sixers will return home to Philadelphia for the fifth matchup of this series – where Philadelphia was 29-7 during the regular season and currently 4-1 this postseason.


Key Injuries

Atlanta Hawks

  • PF De'Andre Hunter: Knee - Out
  • PG Brandon Goodwin: Illness - Out
  • SF Cameron Reddish: Achilles - Out

Philadelphia 76ers

  • SG Danny Green: Calf - Out

Hawks vs. 76ers Player Prop Best Bet

Joel Embiid – To Score 35+ Points (+250)

After averaging 39.5 points on 54% from the field at home in the first two matchups of this series, Embiid went ice cold during the Sixers’ two-game road trip to Atlanta – averaging just 22 points on 32% shooting across Games 3 and 4.

I’ll back The Process to have a big night in Game 5, as Philadelphia’s superstar typically shines brightest when the stakes are high at home for his team.

Hawks vs. 76ers Prediction

Despite their second-half meltdown on the road in Game 4, the Sixers head back to Philadelphia for Game 5 as a six-point favorite over the visiting Hawks.

I’ll lay the points with Philadelphia here – as excluding the first half of Game 1 against Atlanta, the Sixers have been overwhelmingly dominant at the Wells Fargo Center this postseason (+81) and I expect that trend of dominance to continue in Game 5.

Score Prediction: Sixers 117, Hawks 104
Best Bet: Philadelphia -6