Miami Heat Playoffs: What To Expect In Game 1 Against Atlanta Hawks

The Miami Heat will start their playoff run against the Atlanta Hawks at 1 pm Eastern Time Sunday on TNT. The Miami Heat are looking to get off to a hot start against the Hawks, as they will look to gain momentum to begin their run towards the NBA Finals.

Players To Watch

• Jimmy Butler– Butler is looking to bring the Miami Heat back to the NBA Finals, after helping the team get to the NBA Finals back in 2020 against the Los Angeles Lakers. He will be the main player to watch, as the Heat will look to him to create plays down the stretch, knock his open looks down when it matters most, and play tough defensive basketball at the other end.
• Bam Adebayo– Bam will be the big man at the center position, as the Heat will look to him to open up in the paint, creating plays at both ends of the court. With Clint Capela and John Collins both potentially out, Bam will need to control the offensive and defensive glass, be sure to capitalize on the putbacks, and make the big plays on defense to keep the Hawks from getting momentum.
• Kyle Lowry– Lowry has had playoff experience during his time with the Toronto Raptors. He has a different style of play when it comes to the playoffs, as he will look to be locked in at the guard position, making plays for his teammates, finding the open man for baskets, and looking to knock down shots from behind the arc.

The Miami Heat welcome the Atlanta Hawks into FTX Arena for Game 1 of their playoff series on Sunday. Here is what to expect from the game.

Keys To The Game

1. Lockdown Defense On Young- Trae Young is going to be the main beacon on the Heat’s radar. He will be a threat from behind the arc and is known for knocking down clutch shots in tough situations. Miami will need to lock down the three-point arc and not allow him to catch fire early.
2. Get Off To A Hot Start- The Miami Heat will need to get off to a hot start in front of their hometown fans as well. They will need to come out firing, rebounding the basketball, and making plays early if they look to control the series from the very onset.
3. Play Team Basketball- Miami will need to create opportunities for each other, create assists early, and make plays for one another to find the easy buckets against a potent Hawks team. If they can make plays for each other, along with the plays that certain guys can make for themselves, they should be able to control the series.

Miami Heat vs. Atlanta Hawks Odds And Prediction

Odds And Information Provided Courtesy Of WynnBET

Moneyline: MIA -280 ATL +225

Spread: MIA -6.5

Total: 218.5

Prediction

The Miami Heat are looking to get back to the NBA Finals for the seventh time in franchise history to try and win their fourth Larry O’Brien Trophy. They have a long road ahead, as the journey all starts with this series against the Atlanta Hawks.

Miami will take Game 1 against the Hawks though, surely, 110-100.