The NBA regular season wraps up on Wednesday night and while the Western Conference playoff picture is set with the teams, the East's NBA playoff standings will be impacted. Three teams are still vying for the two remaining spots in the Eastern Conference. After the Atlanta Hawks clinched the No. 5 seed last night, they'll visit Paul George and the Indiana Pacers tonight. The Pacers need to get tonight's win to secure a playoff spot making it a highly interesting game to watch for.
Here's the latest on how to watch the Hawks vs. Pacers live streaming online or on TV as well as game odds and the matchup preview.
Atlanta vs. Indiana preview
The Pacers will host tonight's game with Atlanta players including Paul Millsap, Dwight Howard, Dennis Schroder and Kent Bazemore all expected to sit out ahead of the playoffs. However, the Pacers will only be without Aaron Brooks and Al Jefferson in a "must win" game tonight. As of right now, the Pacers are 41-40 and have the No. 7 spot in the East, but should they lose tonight and then the Bulls and Heat both win, it makes things interesting.
The Chicago Bulls will take on the league's worst team in terms of record, the Brooklyn Nets, while Miami will be at the Washington Wizards. Of all the situations listed, all three teams will be trying to get that big win on the last night of the season. If all three teams win, Miami is eliminated. So for Pacers' fans, a win is essential tonight.
Due to tonight's situation for the Indiana Pacers, they're heaving favorites at home to win tonight. The point spread is 14-points in their favor as of this report. On the money line, they're -1600 favorites while Atlanta is a +900 underdog. The fact that the Hawks' top stars seem to all be sitting out, plays to Indiana's advantage too. Tonight's over/under points total is 199 points for the complete game.
How to watch it live
Tonight's Hawks vs. Pacers game is scheduled to tip around 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Live televised game coverage will be provided on the ESPN channel around the United States. Cable and satellite subscribers with ESPN as part of their channel package may be able to watch the game live streaming online using WatchESPN website or compatible apps.
An option to watch the game live streaming online for free is the SlingTV service. Currently, the online channel streaming service is offered on a one-week free trial to all new customers who sign-up. On the basic channel package, Sling Blue, viewers will get ESPN, along with ESPN2, and a good number of other channels to enjoy for the next week.