NBA Play-in Odds: Hawks Favored To KO Cavs On Friday

The Atlanta Hawks have already made history in this postseason: They are the first road team to be favored in the short history of NBA play-in odds.

If the Hawks follow through and knock off the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, they will advance to face the Miami Heat — the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed — in a first-round playoff series.

In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Clippers will try to regroup from Tuesday’s loss at Minnesota in their first play-in game — and now they’ll have to do it without the suddenly absent Paul George. The winner of the Clippers-New Orleans Pelicans game moves on to face the top-seeded Phoenix Suns, who finished with the NBA’s best regular-season record.

Props.com breaks down both games on the Friday NBA play-in odds board.

Odds via WynnBet and updated as of 5:45 p.m. ET on April 15.

Atlanta Hawks vs Cleveland Cavaliers

Tipoff/TV: 7:30 p.m. ET/ESPN
Atlanta: 44-39 SU/38-45 ATS
Cleveland: 44-39 SU/43-37-3 ATS
Spread/Total: Hawks -2/223

Season Series: Cleveland won and covered the first meeting this season, but the Hawks have since gone 3-0 SU/ATS. In the most recent clash March 31, Atlanta romped to a 131-107 victory as 6.5-point home favorites. The Under cashed in three of the four meetings.

Did you know: The Hawks are trying to become only the second No. 9 seed or lower to advance into the main playoff bracket in the short three-year history of play-in games. Last season, No. 9 Memphis knocked off No. 8 Golden State to earn the final playoff berth in the Western Conference.

About Atlanta: The Hawks crushed Charlotte 132-103 on Wednesday as 5.5-point home favorites, earning a chance to get back into the main playoff bracket. Atlanta was one of the surprises of last year’s playoffs, stunning Philadelphia in Game 7 in the Eastern Conference semifinals before succumbing to the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks in six games in the East finals. But a bad start to this season left the Hawks scrambling to get into the playoff picture. Since ending a five-game losing streak Jan. 17, Atlanta went 26-14 the rest of the way (22-18 ATS), tying for the fifth-most wins in the NBA during that span (with the fourth-best net rating).

About Cleveland: The Cavaliers traveled the opposite trajectory from the Hawks, starting strong before fading down the stretch. Now they’re one defeat from being out of the main playoff bracket. During the same period when the Hawks were 26-14 and fourth in the league in net rating, Cleveland was 18-20 and 20th in net rating. Including Tuesday’s 115-108 play-in loss to Brooklyn as a 9.5-point road underdog, the Cavs enter Friday’s matchup on a 3-9 SU and ATS purge.

Injuries: Hawks SG Lou Williams (back) is questionable after missing the last two regular-season games and the play-in game against Charlotte. … The Cavaliers have been hoping for the return of C Jarrett Allen, but there is no indication yet that he will be available Friday. Allen has been sidelined with a fractured finger since March 6.

Notable trends

• Atlanta is on positive ATS runs of 7-2 overall and 6-0 as a favorite
• Atlanta is 6-15 ATS in its last 21 on the road
• Cleveland is 6-2-1 ATS in its last nine as a home underdog
• Over is 5-1 in Atlanta’s last six as a favorite
• Over is 7-3 in Cleveland’s last 10 at home
• Atlanta is 4-1 ATS in its last five against Cleveland
• Cleveland is 5-1 ATS in its last six home games against Atlanta
• Over is 14-6 in the last 20 Hawks-Cavs battles overall
• Over is 15-5 in the last 20 series meetings in Cleveland

Atlanta Hawks vs Cleveland Cavaliers Odds and Action

UPDATE 5:45 P.M. ET FRIDAY: Atlanta opened as a 1.5-point favorite in WynnBet’s Friday NBA play-in odds market and climbed as high as -3 before going back to -2. The line dropped to -1.5 again today, with Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen now expected to play. Now, the Hawks are -2, with 76% of bets and 62% of money on Atlanta. The total opened at 225.5 and steadily dropped to 223, with 71% of bets on the Over but 63% of money on the Under.

New Orleans Pelicans vs Los Angeles Clippers

Tipoff/TV: 10 p.m. ET/TNT
New Orleans: 37-46 SU/42-40-1 ATS
Los Angeles: 42-41 SU/41-42 ATS
Spread/Total: Pelicans -1/215.5

Season Series: The Pelicans are 3-1 SU and ATS against the Clippers, though all three wins came before mid-January. In their most recent meeting April 3, Los Angeles covered easily as a 2-point home favorite in a 119-100 victory. Three of the four games stayed Under.

Did you know: If the Hawks don’t complete the feat, the Pelicans will try to become only the second No. 9 seed or lower to advance from the play-in games into the main playoff bracket. New Orleans has not been in a playoff series since 2018.

About New Orleans: The Pelicans eliminated the San Antonio Spurs 113-103 in the Western Conference No. 9-10 play-in game Wednesday, holding on to cover as 5-point favorites. They are now on a 6-3 SU run (5-4 ATS), going 6-3 to the Under during that stretch. New Orleans has been a strong Under team all season, at 49-32-2. If the Pelicans advance, their regular-season record of 36-46 will be 10 games worse than any of the other remaining teams in the West.

About Los Angeles: The Clippers were dealt a huge blow about 10 hours ahead of game time after news broke that star guard Paul George has entered health and safety protocols and will not play. George had only recently returned from an elbow injury that forced him to miss three months. On Tuesday night, Los Angeles blew a six-point lead at Minnesota going into the fourth quarter and ultimately fell 109-104 as a 3-point underdog in the No. 7-8 play-in game. Now Los Angeles has to regroup at home to earn the final berth in the main playoff bracket and a date with top-seeded Phoenix. George had 34 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the loss to Minnesota, including going 6-for-12 on 3-pointers. The Clippers are 6-2 SU and 5-3 ATS since George’s return, but now must make do without him to keep their season alive.

Injuries: As noted, George is out for the Clippers. Furthermore, Los Angeles and New Orleans continue to be without their biggest stars, both of whom are working out but have given no indication when they can return. Pelicans PF Zion Williamson threw down a 360 windmill dunk in warm-ups Wednesday but is still recovering from a right foot injury. Clippers SF Kawhi Leonard is still tight-lipped about when he could be back on the court after tearing his right ACL in last year’s playoffs. Clippers SG Luke Kennard is questionable after missing the first play-in game with a sore right hamstring.

Notable trends

• New Orleans is 13-5 ATS in its last 18 road games
• Los Angeles is 4-1 ATS in its last five at home (all as a favorite)
• Los Angeles is 7-19 ATS in its last 26 when playing on two days’ rest
• Under is 9-4 in New Orleans’ last 13 overall
• Under is 15-5-1 in New Orleans’ last 21 road games
• New Orleans is 38-17 ATS in its last 55 games against Los Angeles
• Under is 4-1 in the teams’ past five meetings

New Orleans Pelicans vs Los Angeles Clippers Odds and Action

UPDATE 5:45 P.M. ET FRIDAY: The game opened at Clippers -4 at WynnBet, but shifted five points earlier today when Los Angeles star Paul George was ruled out, entering health and safety protocols. The line is now Pelicans -1, with 51% of bets on L.A., but 61% of money on New Orleans. The total opened at 216.5, went down to 216 on Thursday, then 215 on Friday on the George news before going back to 215.5. The Over is netting 79% of bets and 68% of money.