Washington Wizards vs Atlanta Hawks prediction & match preview - May 12th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
After a thrilling matchup on Monday night, the Atlanta Hawks will host the Washington Wizards again on Wednesday at the State Farm Arena.
Leading by as much as 17 points in the third quarter of that encounter on Monday, the Hawks almost threw the game away but were able to hold out for a narrow one-point victory. The night was really all about Russell Westbrook, though, who overtook Oscar Robertson for the most triple-doubles of all-time.
Match details
Fixture: Washington Wizards vs Atlanta Hawks | NBA Season 2020-21.
Date & Time: Wednesday, May 12th; 7:00 PM ET (Thursday, 13th May; 4:30 AM IST).
Venue: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA.
Washington Wizards preview
The Washington Wizards have been nothing short of thrilling to watch recently. In eight of their last nine fixtures they have scored over 120 points. However, they have also conceded over 120 points in seven of those.
Ultimately though, when they make it into the NBA play-in tournament, they are going to be feared even by those above them. The Indiana Pacers currently sit half a game ahead of the Washington Wizards. But Russell Westbrook and co. have already beaten them twice this month and will back themselves to do it again once Bradley Beal is back fit.
Beal scored 50 points the last time the Washington Wizards played the Pacers, but he won't be available for the game against the Hawks due to a hamstring injury.
Key player - Russell Westbrook
Even when Beal has been healthy, a lot of the spotlight recently has been on Russell Westbrook. He makes the Washington Wizards tick on both ends of the court and is the quintessential all-round player.
The fact that Westbrook has racked up 36 triple-doubles this season and broken the all-time record is staggering, considering the style of the modern game.
In breaking the record on Monday, Westbrook registered 28 points, 21 assists and 13 rebounds. He is averaging a triple-double in every game this season and leads the league in assists. If the Wizards make the playoffs, then Westbrook, combined with Beal, would be a nightmare first-round matchup for the No.1 seed.
Washington Wizards predicted lineup
Point Guard - Russell Westbrook l Shooting Guard - Raul Neto l Small Forward - Garrison Matthews l Power Forward - Rui Hachimura l Center - Alex Len.
Atlanta Hawks preview
It's truly been a season of two halves for the Atlanta Hawks. Prior to the All-Star break, they were 16-20, 11th in the East and had just sacked their former coach Lloyd Pierce. Since then, the Hawks have gone 22-11 and are only half a game behind the New York Knicks in the No.4 seed.
Monday night was the Atlanta Hawks' fourth win in five games. After completing their double-header against the Washington Wizards, they have two favorable home ties against the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets and therefore look set to keep a hold of their 5th seed.
Key player - Trae Young
Although his points and shooting accuracy have fallen this season, Trae Young has been crucial to the Atlanta Hawks' success. He has also been aided by an improved supporting cast and is able to take fewer field-goal attempts because of it.
Nevertheless, Young is the Atlanta Hawks' leading scorer this season and ranks 14th in the league for points per game. He also leads the NBA in free-throw accuracy for those that get to the line more than eight times a game. He is also third overall for assists per matchup with 9.5 a night.
Atlanta Hawks predicted lineup
Point Guard - Trae Young l Shooting Guard - Bogdan Bogdanovic l Small Forward - John Collins l Power Forward - Danilo Gallinari l Center - Clint Capela.
Wizards vs Hawks match prediction
Fans can expect another enthralling matchup between the two sides on Wednesday. Without Beal, the Washington Wizards will need their full team to chip in again to help out Russell Westbrook.
On Monday, Hawks guards Bogdanovic and Young combined for 61 points. So, the Wizards will also have to do a good job of containing their backcourt in order to stop the Atlanta Hawks.
It could prove to be another close game, but since the Hawks have an elite home record of 22-11 this season, we are giving them a slight advantage.
Where to watch the Wizards vs Hawks matchup
Fans watching in America can catch the game locally on the NBC Sports Washington and Bally Sports Southeast networks. It will also be shown nationally on ESPN and can be streamed live on the NBA League Pass.