Preview: Hawks back on the road for matchup with Pacers

The Atlanta Hawks will be back on the road on Monday evening for a matchup vs. the Indiana Pacers. The Hawks enter play on Monday as the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference, 1.5 games behind the Charlotte Hornets and Brooklyn Nets. Indiana sits in the cellar of the East, and is losers of seven of their last ten games as much of their roster is injured.

Atlanta should be in a good position to finally get over .500 in this game, and the folks in Las Vegas agree. That hurdle has been a difficult one for the Hawks to get over this season to be sure, but Monday night may present the best opportunity yet. Atlanta will be on two days rest when they battle a heavily banged up Pacers group on Monday. Indiana’s current assortment of players consists of very few members of their original rotation this season.

Whether it’s due trade or injury, the Pacers’ current active roster represents a mere skeleton of what they brought into the season. Indiana has the third-worst record in the East, and that is including the games their main guys did play. Trae Young and the Hawks should be too much for the Pacers in this one, but that doesn’t guarantee anything obviously, especially considering the perpetually up-and-down season this Atlanta team has had to this point.

The Hawks are 3-0 vs. the Pacers this season, and they have been heavy favorites in those previous matchups. Young could be in store for another huge game on Monday vs. a thin Indiana backcourt. The All-Star guard is averaging 29.6 points and 10.4 assists per game in March. Young has scored 30 or more points in five straight games vs. Indiana, including 47 in his last matchup with the Pacers.

Injuries

Bogdan Bogdanovic (right knee soreness) and Danilo Gallinari (right elbow contusion) are questionable, while John Collins (foot, finger) and Skylar Mays (non-Covid illness) are out for Monday’s game.

The Pacers list Malcolm Brogdon, Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson, TJ McConnell, Ricky Rubio, Myles Turner, and TJ Warren as out on Monday. Duane Washington Jr. and Goga Bitadze are questionable on Monday for Indiana.

Odds

The Hawks are 7-point favorites vs. the Pacers as of Monday morning. The point total for this game is currently sitting at o/u 235.

Game Info

Game Date & Time: Mon. Mar. 28, 7 pm ET

Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse

TV: BSSE, League Pass (out of market)

Streaming: Bally Sports, League Pass (out of market)

Radio: 92.9 The Game

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