The NBA Play-In Tournament wraps up on Friday night with the final two games, including an intriguing battle in the Eastern Conference between the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Hawks are looking to stay hot after finishing the regular season on fire and destroying the Charlotte Hornets in their first play-in game. The Cavs, on the other hand, are just trying to survive after faltering late in the season and losing to the Brooklyn Nets earlier this week.
Which players will shine in this Eastern Conference showdown? Let’s explore some of the best Hawks vs Cavaliers prop bets for this game.
All NBA gameday odds are provided by BetMGM Sportsbook and current as of Thursday, April 14, at 3 p.m. ET.
Cavaliers vs Hawks Player Props
Darius Garland: 1st Cavaliers Field Goal (+300)
WAGER: 0.5 Units
I’m surprised that BetMGM has Evan Mobley favored here given that Darius Garland was Cleveland’s leading scorer by a healthy margin. His 21.7 points per game and 17.3 field-goal attempts both led the team easily this year, making him the best choice for this bet.
Garland commanded a larger role in the Cavaliers’ offense as the season progressed, finishing with a 27.8% usage rate. His shooting volume increased as a result, as the third-year point guard is averaging 19.3 field-goal attempts over his last 32 games.
As an aggressive shooter who’s likely to have the ball in his hands early on, Garland is a great choice for this prop and comes with a bit of value as well, making this our NBA bet of the day.
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Trae Young: 1st Hawks Field Goal (+240)
WAGER: 0.5 Units
By the same token, Trae Young is an excellent candidate for the Hawks’ version of this prop. Young was one of the top scorers in the NBA this year with 28.4 points per game — a full 12.2 points higher than Atlanta’s second-leading scorer, John Collins.
Young’s been even more prolific lately, averaging 30.8 points per game over his last 15 contests. Based on his 34.4% usage rate and 20.3 average field-goal attempts this season, the volume is going to be there for him.
The Hawks’ star point guard proved last season that he’s capable of handling big-game pressure. Accordingly, look for him to come out shooting and set the tone with an early bucket for Atlanta in this game.
Cavaliers vs Hawks Game Props
More Points Scored In 2nd Half (+155)
WAGER: 0.5 Units
In addition to home-court advantage, the Cavaliers have a stingy defense that allowed the fifth-fewest points per game during the regular season. It could take a while for the Hawks to get into an offensive rhythm on the road in this do-or-die game.
Cleveland’s D faltered down the stretch, however, and has had trouble containing Atlanta this season. As such, I think we’ll see more points in the second half as the Hawks’ offense gets comfortable and makes adjustments, especially if the game is close and teams start fouling at the end.
I love the value here at plus odds, too, making this a slam dunk.
