76ers vs. Hawks: Game 6 betting odds, preview, and pick

26 points. That’s how much the Atlanta Hawks trailed the Philadelphia 76ers by in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinals matchup on Wednesday in Philly. It looked as though the Sixers were cruising and would be heavy favorites to close out the series Friday.

The Hawks had other ideas. Atlanta stormed back, outscored Philadelphia 40-19 in the fourth quarter, and pulled off a wild 109-106 victory that left the upset-minded squad one win away from a spot in the conference finals.

Despite the victory Wednesday, the Hawks are underdogs in Game 6. The Sixers are three-point favorites and are -155 on the money line, while Atlanta is +130 to close out the series on their home floor.

Can The Hawks Keep Rolling?

The win was Atlanta’s second in a row in the series after Philadelphia took a 2-1 lead with back-to-back double-digit victories in Games 2 and 3. The Hawks have won their three games by a combined total of 10 points, but consider this: In the second halves of Games 4 and 5, Atlanta outscored Philadelphia 123-82.

Add in Ben Simmons’s well-documented offensive struggles of late (including his 4-for-14 performance from the foul line in Game 5), plus an inability to get anyone but Joel Embiid and Seth Curry going, and I think Philadelphia’s in big trouble. Give me the Hawks, with the points, and I’ll take the under simply because the Sixers seem snakebitten.

Expect a big night from Young

This is a fun one. If you think Atlanta has a big chance to win (and I do), you also likely believe Trae Young will be a big reason why. TwinSpires Sports is offering odds on Young scoring 28 points or more while leading his team to a win, and I’m licking my chops.

Young erupted for 39 points in Game 5 and combined to score 60 points in Atlanta’s other two wins of the series. If the Hawks close out the series, it’ll be with Young at the helm, and at +285, it provides a far greater payoff than simply taking the Hawks on the money line at +130.  With all of this in mind, this is one prop bet I’d recommend putting a few bucks on.

NBA Parlay: Atlanta +3 (+130), Under 221 (-109), Trae Young over 27.5 points + Atlanta win (+285)