It’s a new day, which means another night of NBA playoff action. Tonight’s fun gets started at 7:30 p.m. EST as the Atlanta Hawks visit the Philadelphia 76ers for Game 5 of their tied series. The Utah Jazz will then host the Los Angeles Clippers for their own Game 5 at 10:00. Their series is also tied 2-2.
Continue reading for BetOnline’s odds on tonight’s 2020-21 NBA postseason action.
NBA Odds: Atlanta Hawks (No. 5) vs Philadelphia 76ers (No. 1) Game 5
Odds via BetOnline as of Wednesday, June 16
- Series: Series tied 2-2
- Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
- Moneyline: Hawks (+210) vs 76ers (-250)
- Point Spread: Hawks: +6.5 (-110), 76ers: -6.5 (-110)
- Total: 223.5 — Over (-110), Under (-110)
After losing two games in a row, the Hawks managed to even up the NBA playoff series with a 103-100 Game 4 win on Monday. As usual, Trae Young led the way with 25 points and a whopping 18 assists for the double-double. Bogdan Bogdanovic was also an important factor as he had 22 points in a team-high 42:19 played. That’s not even to mention how Clint Capela and John Collins each had a double-double as well. However, one thing the Hawks do need to work on is their shooting. They ended the night with .366/.300/.810, which won’t be good enough to win on a nightly basis.
On the other hand, the 76ers are going to need to figure out how to recover from this loss. It may have only been a 3-point margin in defeat, but Philadelphia was leading 62-49 at halftime, only to watch that lead disappear as the game went on. It certainly doesn’t help when the team’s best players — Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons — combine for just 28 points. Speaking of Embiid, he shot an embarrassing 20.0% from the field in Game 4, which is unacceptable from one of the top players in the NBA. If the 76ers want to regain the series lead, they need to figure out how to ice the Hawks once they get a lead in Game 5.
Los Angeles Clippers (No. 4) vs Utah Jazz (No. 1) Game 5 Odds
Odds via BetOnline as of Wednesday, June 16
- Series: Series tied 2-2
- Time: 10:00 p.m. EST
- Moneyline: Clippers (+120) vs Jazz (-140)
- Point Spread: Clippers: +3.0 (-113), Jazz: -3.0 (-107)
- Total: 222.5 — Over (-110), Under (-110)
Despite winning the last two games in a row, the Clippers are slight +120 underdogs entering tonight’s matchup. The team managed to win Game 4 thanks to another solid performance by Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. The Clippers’ top two players each had 31 points apiece in the victory. However, someone who did step up was Marcus Morris. The 31-year-old veteran matched his playoff-best with a 24-point performance, showcasing the importance of good depth. The Clippers just need to keep doing what they’re doing to further improve their chances of going on an NBA Championship run. After all, there’s a reason why they’ve outscored Utah, 250-210, in the last two games.
Update: Kawhi Leonard will NOT play in Game 5 as he’s out with a knee injury. His status for the series is also in doubt.
Even though Donovan Mitchell had a 37-point performance in Game 4, it wasn’t good enough to give the Jazz the win. One factor that held Utah back last game was its bench. Jordan Clarkson, the NBA Sixth Man of the Year, had another abysmal performance as he ended the night with just 8 points while shooting 25.0% from the field. That’s just not good enough for a player making $11.5 million this season. Even though he’s the Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Robert wasn’t at his best either. He’s supposed to be one of the best rebounders but finished with just 8 in Game 4 — his second time with a single-digit rebound total in his last 14 games. Look for the Jazz to try and get their offense and defense back as they try to regain the series lead.
