Hawks vs Lakers Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

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18 March 2024

Hawks vs Lakers Picks, Predictions & Odds Tonight

Dejounte Murray has been firing on all cylinders since Trae Young went down to injury and it's the 3-point shooting in particular that stands out over that stretch. Read more in our Hawks vs. Lakers betting picks below.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers are trying to move up in the Western Conference standings as the regular season comes down the home stretch.

The Lakers are currently tied with the Warriors for ninth in the West but are just three games back of sixth. However, inconsistent play continues to plague L.A. with losses in four of its last seven overall.

Will a matchup with the Trae Young-less Atlanta Hawks help get the Lakers back on track? The NBA odds have L.A. as nearly double-digit home favorites but the Hawks will have come in with some confidence following an upset of the Clippers as 9.5-point pups last night.

I break it all down and bring you the best bet, plus a same-game parlay, in my free NBA picks for Hawks vs. Lakers.

Hawks vs Lakers odds

Hawks vs Lakers predictions

The Los Angeles Lakers can’t get out of their own way. Sometimes they look like a team that could win a few playoff rounds in the Western Conference and other times... not so much.

Their last three wins have come against the Timberwolves, Bucks, and Thunder, but their last two games came against teams they're chasing in the standings: the Kings and Warriors. They lose both despite being favored in both. Anthony Davis played just 12 minutes against Golden State but either way, this team lacks consistency.

They lack effort on the defensive end of the floor, ranking 18th in defensive rating with their biggest problems coming on the perimeter. They allow the fifth-most 3-point attempts per possession in the NBA, resulting in the third-most made threes per possession.

And while you might think the Atlanta Hawks would be limited in that regard without Trae Young, Dejounte Murray has them covered.

He's had no problem leading the way offensively. The guard is putting up 26.1 points while shooting 46.5% from the floor and adding 8.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game during this 11-game absence from Young. He's also been on fire from beyond the arc.

Murray is letting it fly, jacking up 10.4 threes per game over his last seven games, with that added volume not hurting his efficiency. He’s draining a ridiculous 42.5% of those attempts.

The Hawks have also been getting solid contributions from guys like Bogdan Bogdanovic and Jalen Johnson recently, which has helped take some of the pressure off Murray.

Either way, Murray's on fire. He’s hit 4+ threes in six of his last seven games and is going up against a Lakers perimeter defense that is super suspect. Add in the plus money? Sign me up.

My best bet: Dejounte Murray Over 3.5 threes (+122 at FanDuel)

Hawks vs Lakers same-game parlay

Dejounte Murray Over 3.5 made threesDejounte Murray Over 4.5 rebounds

Bogdan Bogdanovic Over 2.5 made threes

Beyond the arc isn’t the only place I like Dejounte Murray to contribute. The Hawks guard has always been adept at stuffing the stat sheet dating back to his time in San Antonio and we’ve really been able to see what he’s capable of without Trae Young on the court.

Murray has also been one of the better rebounding guards in the last few NBA seasons. He's averaging 5.2 rebounds per game this season and outside of the questionable Anthony Davis, the Lakers are not a great rebounding team, ranking 24th in rebounding rate on this season.

Bogdan Bogdanovic is shooting nearly 37% from 3-point range this season and is taking 8.4 threes per game in Young’s absence. That has resulted in him hitting 3+ threes eight times over that stretch. Close this SGP out with Bogdanovic Over 2.5 made threes.

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Hawks vs Lakers spread and Over/Under analysis

The Lakers opened this NBA matchup as 9-point home favorites and that’s essentially where this line sits as of Monday afternoon.

Despite the Lakers' inconsistencies, they have the rest advantage with the Hawks playing the second half of a back-to-back after upsetting the Clippers 110-93 as 9-point underdogs in this same building last night.

And while the Lakers can look great with the basketball in their hands at times, you just don’t know what you'll get from them on a night-in, night-out basis. So, it’s not surprising to see the Lakers ranked 16th in offensive rating heading into this matchup.

It also shouldn’t be shocking that the Hawks have gotten better at playing defense since Trae Young has been out. They're eighth in D-rating during this 11-game period so even though the Hawks are playing their second game in as many nights, I believe they have some value as a big underdog here.

The total hit the board at 227 and has been bet down to 225.5. That improved defense from the Hawks has helped them cash some Unders, going 3-8 O/U since Young has been out.

Keep an eye on the status of LeBron and Davis. If either is out, the Under looks like a solid play here.