Atlanta vs Utah Prediction: Will the Hawks be able to improve their head-to-head stats?

Atlanta has not beaten Utah for more than 3 years, but in the upcoming encounter, the Hawks are considered the clear favorites even despite the success of the Jazz. Will the Hawks be able to improve their head-to-head stats?

The emergence of Dejounte Murray is a great stroke of luck for Atlanta so far. The former San Antonio player has not become any less effective on offense, playing with Trae Young, and with him, the Hawks have become one of the leaders in defense at the arc. Offensively, Murray is a very frequent mid-range shooter, and he's in the top 10 of the NBA in the number of such attempts, although the realization is something like 40%. John Collins started the season at a near-stellar level, but his stats have slipped: De'Andre Hunter is now the 3rd highest scorer in Atlanta. Trae Young is still a key player for the Hawks, averaging 28.2 points and 9.4 assists. Young missed the last game and may not play against Utah, either. Bogdan Bogdanovic will definitely not be on the floor.

In Young's absence, the Hawks beat Eastern Conference leader Milwaukee at home (117-98). A.J. Griffin got more playing time in Atlanta's absence and did not disappoint: the rookie scored 24 points on 10 of 15 shooting. Onyeka Okongwu and Justin Holiday also had decent off the bench, and Dejounte Murray stood out in the starting five with a double-double of 25 points and 11 assists. The Hawks did well on defense with Giannis Adetokunbo. In addition, Nate McMillan's team lost less of the ball and won the opponent's backfield, hitting 12 more shots on the ground than the Bucks.

This season has already brought a few surprises, and the main one was the current Utah Jazz. Everyone was expecting the Jazz to tank after trading Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, but they won 9 of 12 starting games and topped the Western Conference table! Along with Atlanta, Will Hardy's charges allow only 32.6% of their opponents to score three-pointers, the best rate in the league. Lauri Markkanen has made a strong bid for the All-Star Game, averaging 21.9 points. Collin Sexton's playing time is gradually increasing, and in his last 5 games, he has been one of the highest scorers on the team with 19 points per game. Jordan Clarkson has also added that Mike Conley and Kelly Olynyk play an important role. Utah has almost no roster problems, though the possible absence of Jarred Vanderbilt is a serious enough loss for the Jazz.

Will Hardy's team defeated the Los Angeles Lakers last season at home, 139-116. The Jazz kept their mid-range shots to a minimum, shooting more often from under the basket or from beyond the arc. Mike Conley, Jordan Clarkson, and Malik Beasley combined for 12 threes with only four turnovers. By the way, Markkanen was held back from long range, but once again, he was Utah's highest scorer with 23 points.

The last head-to-head meetings between the Jazz and Hawks could have been more productive, but now Utah has become weaker on defense. Yes, Utah's defense is good, but they're giving up more runs in the paint than any other team in the league. Atlanta has good big men, and Dejounte Murray could replace Trae Young on the point. If the Hawks' leader gets on the floor, however, the task for the home team will only get easier. Our prediction for Atlanta vs Utah is as follows:

• Total Over 226.5 points for 1.72;
• H1 (-3.5) for 1.80;
• W1 + Total Under 228.5 points for 2.90.