Bryan Armetta shares his preview, prediction and pick for Tuesday’s game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards.

Despite the absence of Trae Young, the Hawks have stayed afloat at 11-.7 Atlanta will have a golden opportunity to add to its win total tonight in Washington. It’s been a brutal campaign for the 1-15 Wizards, on pace for another last place finish. Still, it’s the NBA Cup; anything can happen.

Can Washington deliver a massive upset against a Southeast Division rival? Below is my prediction and pick for Tuesday’s game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Washington Wizards.

The Hawks are 10.5-point favorites (-115) over the Wizards on DraftKings Sportsbook. Atlanta is favored at -535 on the moneyline. The total is set at 236.5 points.

Hawks vs. Wizards prediction, preview

As previously mentioned, the Hawks have remained competitive without Young. Despite Trae’s status as face of the franchise, he might not be Atlanta’s best player. That’s due to the all-around excellence of Jalen Johnson. Through 16 games, the forward is averaging 22.4 points, 9.6 rebounds and 7.0 assists. On the other end of the floor, he’s chipped in with 1.7 steals. The Hawks, long considered an offensively-minded squad, rank inside the NBA’s top ten in defensive rating (113.3). That’s due in part to lanky defenders such as Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Onyeka Okongwu.

The new-look Hawks have struggled on the glass, ranking 28th in basketball with 49.6 rebounds per game. However, the Wizards have surrendered the second-most boards per game to their opponents (59.3). Keeping that in mind, Okongwu, Johnson and offseason pickup Kristaps Porzingis could make a major impact down low. Daniels, as the team’s de facto ball handler, should be able to find his teammates as well. Washington has also coughed up 29.7 assists per game, second-most in the NBA.

So, the Wizards are wielding one of, if not the worst, defense in basketball. Are things better on the other end of the floor? Yes, but not by much. Washington’s scoring attack is fairly balanced, with seven different players averaging at least 9.5 points per game. Leading the way is Alex Sarr, who has taken some major strides during his second pro season. The Frenchman has notched 18.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 51% from the field. Still, for whatever reason, head coach Brian Keefe has kept his workload at just under 29 minutes per game.

Hawks vs. Wizards pick, best bet

Recent history for both sides favors a shootout tonight. Atlanta has given up 120+ points in four of its last six appearances. As for the Wizards, they’ve allowed that many points (or more) in each of their previous six contests. Both offenses rank inside the NBA’s top ten in pace of play. As a result, there should be extra possessions for each side. In this NBA Cup showdown, expect plenty of fireworks tonight.

Best Bet: Hawks vs. Wizards over 236.5 points (-108)