NBA Playoffs - Heat at Hawks

NBA Playoffs fans can find no more even first round matchup on the NBA basketball odds board than Miami vs. Atlanta. NBA Playoffs handicappers were stunned with Atlanta's 90-64 game 1 blowout win and cover against the NBA basketball odds as 4.5-point chalks.

Then Hawks dominated every aspect of that opening game of this NBA Playoffs matchup and really won the game in the 2nd quarter with a 35-18 scoring advantage.  The game stayed under the NBA basketball odds total of 186.5. Josh Smith led the Hawks in scoring with 23 points and also cleaned the glass with 10 rebounds for a great individual start to the NBA Playoffs.  Zaza Pachulia also had 10 rebounds along with 10 points.  The Atlanta defense held Miami to under 37% shooting.

The key to the Miami attack is Dwyane Wade, the superstar that entered the NBA Playoffs with a season average of 30.2 points per game.  Wade was held to only 19 points in game 1.  If Atlanta can continue to have a handle on Wade they will be advancing into the next round of the NBA Playoffs as there is no greater issue in this series.

Miami was playing solid basketball heading into the NBA Playoffs as they had gotten the cash in 6 of their previous 8 games before the game 1 blowout loss.  Wade is about all of the offense that Miami has.  The Heat ranked just 18th overall in scoring for the regular season.  When Wade was out last season with injury Miami was one of the worst teams in the league and out of the NBA Playoffs.  This makes them the epitome of a "one man team."

Atlanta was one of the better board values this season and was slightly in the black at home this year.  The Hawks offense ranked only 19th but is better balanced than Miami's.  Atlanta had the 10th ranked defense in the league and that will be their key strength for the NBA Playoffs.  Joe Johnson led Atlanta this year in scoring with a 21.4 point per game average and also led the Hawks in assists.

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