- The Atlanta Hawks stole home court in Game 1 of their series against the Philadelphia 76ers.
- The Sixers are famously mediocre on the road, and the Hawks are quite good at home.
- The next two games of the series are at Atlanta, but the Hawks are not favored on the moneyline.
ATLANTA - The Philadelphia 76ers may have lost home-court advantage in Game 1 of their series against the Atlanta Hawks, but they have a chance to take it back now in Game 3.
The series is currently tied 1-1 en route to Atlanta, where the next two games will be played.
Hawks star Trae Young will have to be a difference maker in this matchup if the Hawks want a chance at upsetting the top seeded Sixers.
Young is averaging 28.9 points per game in the 2021 playoffs, which are his first playoffs, making him one of the most impactful postseason players so far this year.
Still, his prowess might not be enough to overcome the juggernaut that is Philadelphia, but there is some hope for the Hawks.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Atlanta Hawks Game 3 Moneyline
- Philadelphia 76ers -120
- Atlanta Hawks +100
At first glance, it’s not ideal that the online sportsbooks do not favor the Hawks in their matchup against the Sixers at home.
After all, if they want to win this series, defending home court is going to be an important aspect of any hypothetical road to victory.
It’s worth noting, however, that the Sixers have an extremely stark home/away split, and that this split has existed for at least two seasons.
In the regular season and playoffs so far, the Sixers have an overall record of 54-25, meaning they’ve won 29 more games than they’ve lost.
Of those 29 games, 25 were home wins. The Sixers have a 21-17 road record, and a 33-8 home record.
The Hawks, meanwhile, are 27-11 at home, which is a solid consideration for NBA betting fans that wish to wager on them.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Atlanta Hawks Game 3 Spread
- Philadelphia 76ers -1.5 (-105)
- Atlanta Hawks +1.5 (-115)
The spread is quite small on this matchup, and it opened a little bit larger, with the Sixers being favored by around 2.0 points.
The spread seems to be trending in the direction of Sixers -1 as the game gets closer.
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Atlanta Hawks Series Odds
- Philadelphia 76ers -235
- Atlanta Hawks +195
Still, despite the fact that the Hawks took home-court advantage away from the Sixers, despite the fact that the Sixers are pretty bad on the road and the Hawks are quite good at home, and despite the fact that the Hawks have two upcoming home games including this one, the Sixers are favored in the series significantly.
They do seem to be a better team than the Hawks, especially on paper. It’s worth noting that Joel Embiid could be limited in this series due to a minor meniscus tear, inasmuch as any meniscus tear can be minor.
Embiid will want to serve as the counterweight to Young’s scoring prowess, and did so in Game 2, notching 40 points on his injured knee.
Still, his injury, combined with the fact that the Hawks stole home court, and the home/road differentials that both teams have, could make the Hawks a solid underdog play.
Game 3 of the series between the Sixers and the Hawks kicks off at 7:30 p.m. EST, and will be broadcast on ESPN.