Pelicans vs. Hawks Prediction and Odds for December 2: Hawks Looking for Fourth Straight Win

The New Orleans Pelicans (4-17) will take on the Atlanta Hawks (10-11) in a cross-conference NBA matchup on Monday evening.

The Pels fell on hard times recently and are just 1-10 away from their building. Dejounte Murray returned from an injury less than a week ago and will get to take on the team that traded him during the offseason as he looks to lead his team back into the win column.

On the other side, the Hawks are riding a three-game win streak with two of those wins coming against the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers. Jalen Johnson dropped 20 points in his last game and is continuing to show serious improvement, while Trae Young leads the league in assists with 12.1 per game.

Here, we will analyze the odds and share our favorite Pelicans vs. Hawks betting picks for Monday.

Pelicans vs. Hawks Betting Odds for Monday, December 2

The Pelicans are a dreadful 7-14 (33.3 percent) against the spread, yet they covered in three of their last five outings. They’re also a league-worst 2-9 (18.2 percent) ATS on the road and 6-9 (40 percent) ATS as an underdog.

The Hawks are 8-13 (38.1 percent) ATS, 3-7 (30 percent) ATS at home, and only 2-9 (18.2 percent) ATS as a favorite. Safe to say that neither one of these teams has been a profitable investment thus far.

The following odds for the Pelicans vs. Hawks game are courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Place your bets at BetMGM and claim up to $1,500 in bonus bets* with our promo code WSNSPORTS.

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Pelicans vs. Hawks Prediction

New Orleans Pelicans Preview

Let’s turn back the year to when David Griffin greenlighted the Pelicans’ trade of Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers. The team seemed to be in a great spot with a bevy of draft picks and promising young players such as Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and Lonzo Ball.

Years down the line and the Pelicans managed to assemble a roster that included Ingram, Zion Williams, CJ McCollum, and Murray, along with more solid young prospects and visits from reputable players… but despite all of that, New Orleans now finds itself as the home to one of the worst teams in basketball.

The Pelicans lost eight straight and 14 of their last 15 games. Several key players are dealing with injuries, and their usual mainstays have not played at the level needed to keep the team relevant.

New Orleans ranks 27th in offensive and 28th in defensive rating, resulting in a net rating (-12.3) that is worse than every team in the league not named the Washington Wizards.

We’d love to talk about the positives here, but the truth is there aren’t many. Their best quality is that they are just below average at rebounding, but they turn the ball over too much, play at a glacial speed, and don’t get positive contributions from their bench due to a variety of injuries.

Just yesterday, the Pels only scored 28 first-half points in a 33-point loss to the New York Knicks. Now, they’re on the second night of a back-to-back on the road and with no momentum to speak of.

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Atlanta Hawks Preview

Are the Hawks really near-10-point favorites on Monday despite being below .500? Yes, they are!

Atlanta’s record might not be all that impressive, but they already beat the Cavs (twice), the Boston Celtics, and the Knicks, all of which are quality wins against some of the best teams in the league. Their biggest hindrance is their inconsistency, which they’re looking to put behind them amid their three-game win streak.

A stark difference between this season and ones past is that Trae Young is outside of the top 25 in the NBA in usage rate. As a result, his scoring is down to 21.4 points per game on 39.1 percent shooting, but he averaged a career-high 12.1 assists per night. 

That said, he still has a net rating of -1.3 during his time on the court—right between Jay Huff and Gabe Vincent.

The Hawks played great offense but had no defense to speak of last year. They’re 21st in offensive and 22nd in defensive rating this time around, which suggests that their record actually flatters their overall level of performance.

At the same time, the Hawks already beat the Pelicans 126-111 on the road early in the season. Johnson dropped 29 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists in that game, while six players scored double-digits.

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Pelicans vs. Hawks Betting Pick

My pick: Pelicans +9.5 (-105) at BetMGM

The Pelicans have been flat-out awful this season, and there’s no reason to expect that to change any time soon. They are injured, the jury is out on Wille Green as a head coach, there’s a lack of chemistry in the locker room, and a combination of players don’t complement one another’s skill sets.

That said, the Hawks have been highly inconsistent this year. They’re just as likely to lay an egg as they are to carry on the positive feelings from their current win streak.

We believe the Hawks are the rightful favorites, but this line is just too much for a team that has not been that good.

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How to Watch Pelicans vs. Hawks on 12/2/24

• When: Monday, Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m. ET

• Where: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA

• TV: NBA League Pass

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