NBA Playoffs
Eastern Conference - First Round
Tip-off: Wednesday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Line: Atlanta -9.0, Total: 200.0

The Hawks look to retake the lead in this series when they host the Nets in Game 5 on Wednesday.

The Nets have taken all the momentum in this series after winning both of their games in Brooklyn. They were outstanding offensively in Game 4, wining 120-115 as 6-point underdogs. The Nets shot 47.9% from the field, 45.2% from the outside and only turned the ball over nine times in the game. The Hawks, meanwhile, had 16 turnovers and that ended up being the difference in the game. One thing that will seriously favor Atlanta is that this is now a three game series that the team will play at home for the most part. The Hawks are 5-1 SU at Philips Arena but they are just 2-4 ATS in those contests. Game 4 was the only game in this series that went Over the total. Brooklyn is 11-2 ATS when playing four or less games in 10 days this season. The team is also 12-2 ATS in road games after playing three consecutive games as an underdog over the past three seasons. Atlanta, however, is 27-11 ATS when the total is between 200 and 209.5 this season. The Hawks are also 12-3 ATS when playing a team that has beaten them in two straight meetings this season. SG Sergey Karasev (Leg) is out for the season for the Nets and SG Thabo Sefolosha (Leg) is out for the season for the Hawks.

The Nets evened up the series with a 120-115 victory in Brooklyn on Monday and PG Deron Williams (13.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 5.8 APG in playoffs) played the game of his life. After scoring a combined five points in Games 2 and 3, Williams put up 35 points in 46 minutes of action. He was 13-for-25 from the field and 7-for-11 from three and also had seven assists, five boards and three steals. He’ll need to come out with the same intensity again on Wednesday. C Brook Lopez (21.3 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 2.3 BPG in playoffs) had 26 points, 10 boards and four blocks in Game 4. His size has been a huge issue for the Hawks in this series and the Nets must continue to pound the ball inside. SG Joe Johnson (17.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.3 SPG in playoffs) has put up solid numbers in this series, but he is shooting just 33.3% from the field and 25.9% from behind the arc in the four games. He must find his stroke moving forward or it will be tough for the Nets to steal a game in Atlanta. One guy who has really stepped up for the Nets is SG Bojan Bogdanovic (11.8 PPG, 4.0 RPG in playoffs). The guard is averaging 17.0 PPG over the past two games and has hit six threes in those contests. He has not been afraid of the moment and will need to continue to knock down some big shots for Brooklyn.

The Hawks were unable to take a 3-1 series lead and must now win two of the next three in order to avoid being upset by the Nets. PF Paul Millsap (14.8 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 2.8 APG, 2.5 SPG, 1.8 BPG in playoffs) was excellent in Game 4, finishing with 16 points, 12 boards, four assists, three blocks and three steals in 47 minutes of action. Millsap will need to continue to rebound the ball well because this Nets team is very big inside with Lopez in the middle. C Al Horford (12.0 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.3 BPG in playoffs) has been the one that has had to deal with Lopez. Horford has struggled in that matchup and must start to play better on both ends of the floor. PG Jeff Teague (16.3 PPG, 6.5 APG, 1.8 SPG in playoffs) finally broke out of his slump offensively in Game 4, finishing the contest with 20 points, 11 assists, four boards and two steals in 39 minutes of action. He was, however, awful defensively and can’t afford to let the Nets’ guards have their way again on Wednesday. SG Kyle Korver (14.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.5 SPG in playoffs) is shooting just 33.3% from the outside in this series after shooting 49.2% during the regular season. The Hawks desperately need him to find his shot beginning Wednesday.