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NBA Betting: Atlanta Hawks Season Long Handicapping 1/29/2026 vs. Houston Rockets

by Spencer Toth - 1/29/2026

NBA betting Atlanta Hawks season long handicapping vs Houston Rockets Kevin Durant

All season long, Doc’s Sports is your home for every Atlanta Hawks weekday matchup (check back Saturday this week for a rare weekend preview). We will provide free breakdowns and best bets every time the Hawks step on the court, aiming to generate a consistent profit throughout the year. By locking in on their player props and standard spreads, moneylines, and totals, our in-depth knowledge will prevail in the various matchups.
Last night, the Hawks picked up a crucial road win over the Boston Celtics. Their three-point defense was the main talking point in their 117-106 victory, as they held Boston to just 9/34 from behind the arc. Atlanta was dominated on the glass as Boston won the rebounding battle 51-38, but the Hawks were able to offset those extra possessions with only nine turnovers on offense. All five starters scored at least 13 points, with Jalen Johnson’s 19/14/7 statline being the highlight for Atlanta.
From a betting perspective, we went 2-1, but posted a slight loss thanks to the unit allocation. We took the Celtics to cover the -6.5 point spread for 3 units, which didn’t even come close to hitting. However, both of our 1-unit player props cashed, as we faded Luke Kennard from behind the arc (he finished 1/3), and took Payton Pritchard to stay under 5.5 assists, and he finished with none. 

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Tonight, the Atlanta Hawks (24-25) host the Houston Rockets (28-17) at State Farm Arena. Both of these teams are on the second night of a back-to-back, after the Rockets lost to the San Antonio Spurs 111-99 last night. Houston scored just 13 fourth-quarter points as they fell apart down the stretch, and they will be playing motivated basketball in Atlanta tonight. 

Houston has been two very different teams at home compared to on the road. Even with their home loss yesterday, the Rockets are 16-4 in the comfort of the Toyota Center compared to 12-13 on the road. While it is one thing to say the Hawks have a chance since they are hosting this one, it would be another to overlook a dominant Rockets side. Kevin Durant’s 26.4 PPG with 5.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists ensures he is the focal point on offense. Durant is a first ballot Hall of Famer who wants one more ring before he hangs it up, and he is surrounded by hungry defensive players in Houston. Amen Thompson is in contention for DPOY, while Tari Eason, Reed Sheppard, and Alperen Sengun all average at least 1.4 steals per game. Houston’s length all over the court allows them to cut out passing lanes, and with Durant operating a lethal offense on the other end of the court, it is no surprise to see the Rockets among the best in the West. 

While all eyes will be on Durant, this matchup will come down to how Alperen Sengun plays down low. Sengun has all the characteristics of a future Nikola Jokic, as he passes, scores, and rebounds with incredible efficiency. Sengun’s 9 rebounds per game have propelled the Rockets to lead the league in boards, which is a nightmare for the Hawks, who will be without Kristaps Porzingis again tonight. Onyeka Okongwu doesn’t have the physicality needed to shut down Sengun in the post, which will force the Hawks to load up the paint to compensate. Jalen Johnson can also get physical in the paint, but he still doesn’t have the height needed to play center. That leaves the Hawks shorthanded down low, and against the lengthy Rockets team, it will take a coherent effort to gang rebound if they want to keep this one close. They got away with being sloppy on the glass last night against the Celtics, but they can’t bank on their opponents getting cold from deep on a nightly basis. 

The Hawks were forced to sell low on Trae Young, but their return of CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert has been overlooked. McCollum is averaging 17.4 PPG in his nine games with the Hawks, as his shooting alongside Nickeil Alexander-Walker gives the Hawks two legitimate two-way threats to work with. While McCollum is in the league for his offense, his defensive work rate with Atlanta has been off the charts. Maybe it’s the fact that he is finally on a somewhat competitive team again after rotting with the Wizards and Pelicans for the last few years, but there is no denying McCollum has a new pep in his step. The Hawks transformed Alexander-Walker into a starter after years on the bench for other teams, and they have to be thrilled with the similar transformation McCollum has undergone since his arrival. Kispert isn’t going to be winning MVP anytime soon, but he’s active on defense and hustles on the glass for a player of his size. Once the Hawks get healthy, they will suddenly be a very deep team with legitimate title aspirations in a wide-open Eastern Conference. 

For tonight’s game, neither injury report has been released, which leaves some uncertainty in the air. There won’t be a rest advantage for either side as they both had to travel after playing last night, but we should expect a predictable injury report. Porzingis and Zaccharie Risacher are expected to miss out, while Tari Eason and Dorian Finney-Smith will both sit for Houston. The Hawks are three and a half point home underdogs tonight, and that is a line we can get behind. It is not as if the Hawks have been dominant at home this year with a 9-13 record at State Farm Arena, but they are riding a four-game win streak and deserve a bit more respect on the odds. Houston is 10-12 ATS as a road favorite this year, but only 1-5 straight up and against the spread in their last six in that situation. Atlanta has shown grit recently, and even without two starters, this one will go right down to the wire. 

For the second bet of the night, we will take under 224.5 points. Houston is 25-20 to the under this season, including 8-2 in their last ten. Their defense has been able to step up both on the road and at home, and it has been their offense that has fallen apart. The Hawks have also been winning games thanks to their defensive efforts on their current win streak, making them a prime candidate to stay under as well. Once you factor in a potential slow pace of play due to tired legs, the under becomes a solid pick for tonight. We will be staying away from player props due to a murky injury report, but a pair of mainline picks can still add to our total if things go our way. 

Pick: Atlanta Hawks (+3.5) 2 Units

Pick: Hawks vs Rockets Under 224.5 3 Units

2025-26 Season Record:
Moneyline: 10-5

Spread: 16-14

Total: 1-8

Player Props: 33-19

Overall: 61-45

Total Units: Up 34.7 Units 

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