The Atlanta Hawks (48-32) take on the host Cleveland Cavaliers (56-24) at Quicken Loans Arena on Monday.
Atlanta is quietly one of the hottest teams in the league right now and they are two wins away from back-to-back 50-win seasons. The Hawks have won 15 of 19 headed into this matchup and have been getting it done with defense. Atlanta now ranks second in the league in defensive efficiency and rank sixth in points allowed. If they are able to win the final two games, they would secure a division crown and more importantly, the three-seed in the east.
Cleveland is just 5-4 across their last nine games, but that run needs to be taken into consideration. Many of those losses came due to resting players and the Cavaliers are just going through the motions with the one-seed in the east locked up. This is the type of game that matters though, as they'll want to show the Hawks that they mean business come playoff time. With that in mind, look for Cleveland to be a projected six-point favorite in this matchup.
