Southeast Division | Odds, Tips & Picks - Updated 30th March 2023

Last updated: 30th March 2023

Current betting odds:

Miami Heat \\

Atlanta Hawks \\

Washington Wizards \\

Orlando Magic \\

Charlotte Hornets \\

Current standings

Here we have a breakdown of all the teams in the running to win the NBA's Southeast Division in the 2022/’23 NBA season. The winners will be awarded the Earl Lloyd Trophy

At The Jump Hub, we have assessed their chances as we see them and will update this article regularly to see if we were right. We will post statistical updates and any breaking news or results as they come up.

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*See foot of article for the key to terms used

General update: 30th Mar 2023

The poorest division in the NBA in terms of quality (only the top 2 teams are in the top 10 of the Eastern Conference) is also the tightest competitively. Just 1.9% separates the winning % of the Miami Heat and Atlanta Hawks (Go Hawks!) at the top of the table. And apart from the embarrassing, deliberate mess that is the Charlotte Hornets (not, they don't even deserve bold text) Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards are also close (within 2.6% of each other)

The main aim is now to reach the NBA Playoffs of course, and at the time of writing, both Heat and Hawks are going to have to fight it out in the Play-In first. Of those 2 leading teams, Miami Heat have the easier run to the line, facing:

• Mavericks, Pistons, 76ers, Wizards, and Magic

Although, 3 of those 5 games are on the road and Miami do not fare particularly well away from home. Currently 15-23. However, anybody can rock up and beat the defeated, gutless Pistons and 2 of the other teams they face are below them in the Southeast Division. Heat are 9-5 against teams in the same division so will fancy their chances there.

The Atlanta Hawks (Go Hawks!) have a much less-enticing run

• Nets, Mavericks, Bulls, Wizards, 76ers, and Celtics

The Nets are their direct competition for automatic-qualification places so will fight tooth and nail. Dallas are desperate to usurp the 10th-placed Oklahoma Thunder in the Western Conference, so will be similarly determined. The same could be said of their next 2 opponents, as both Washington and Chicago can still make the Play-In. So that just leaves a couple of nice, easy games against he 76ers and the Celtics.

Insert face-palm emoji here...

The Hawks' recent form sees them on a run of:

• Win, loss, win, loss, win, loss, win

if they continue that exceptionally mediocre trend then they should finish in the Play-In Tournament but anything less than 2 wins and they can be caught and ousted from below.

It is surely going to go all the way to the wire and we're here for the drama...

A few words on the scourge of deliberate tanking

Before we go any further, it saddens us to have to address the elephant in the room. Deliberate tanking is easily our least favourite aspect of the NBA and one that we wish we didn't have to think about. For those of you unaware of what it means, to put it very briefly, the way that the NBA is structured means that the worst-performing teams have a better chance of picking the best players in the following season's NBA Draft.

Sadly, we live in a cynical world where blatant cheating is tolerated and often even encouraged. If it cannot be proven and will result in an advantage then some teams clearly feel that it is worth the loss of integrity and dignity. That it is worth snubbing their nose to their own fans and admitting that they are too shitty to achieve anything without cheating. That they would rather field weakened sides and lose on purpose than accept the task ahead of them and get those same noses to the grindstone instead. Even with the, clearly inadequate measures that the NBA introduced and the new lottery system that makes it harder to guarantee an advantage, it still exists.

It is too complicated and depressing for us to try and figure out which teams are engaged in this lowest-of-the-low behaviour. It should be pretty obvious. We'll mention it for sure if it's beyond question. But, otherwise, we have decided to write these articles as though tanking didn't exist. As though we live in a world where winning through hard work and dedication is the only goal.

Pleasing the fans and doing your absolute best to represent them with honour at all times should be a given. Tanking is for scumbags and suckers. We hope franchises that deliberately set out to lose games wither and turn to dust.

However, for the purposes of these articles, we will assess the teams in front of us on their merits and pretend that there is still some integrity in professional sports

Earl Lloyd Trophy

General update: 24th Jan 2023

• Orlando Magic pulled off a surprise that few saw coming by beating the Boston Celtics 113-98. Ending the Celtics' own winning streak of 9 games and cementing a 3rd-straight win for Orlando over Boston.

• Jonathon Isaac played 10 minutes for Orlando Magic. His first time on the court since August 2nd, 2020. He contributed: 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals

• Marcus Smart was absent last game with a right ankle sprain, and is still a doubt for Boston's Tuesday-night matchup against Miami Heat

Miami Heat @ 1.30

NBA Southeast Division betting odds progression:

@ 1.61 — @ 3.50 — @ 1.87 — @ 1.63 — @ 1.57 — @ 1.60 — @ 1.36

Sep 14th — Nov 21st — Dec 8th — Dec 18th — Jan 9th — Jan 10th — Jan 16th/27th

@ 1.30

Jan 30th/Mar 13th

NBA Eastern Conference betting odds: @ 26.00

NBA Championship betting odds: @ 61.00

• Record: 36-33

• Streak: 1 loss

• 22-13 at home

• 14-20 on the road

Current table positions:

• Southeast Division: 1st

• Eastern Conference: 7th

• NBA: 12th

Update: 24th Jan 2023

Miami Heat are flying high at the top of the Southeastern Division right now. Their only real competition in that group look to be the Atlanta Hawks (Go Hawks!)

The Heat have 2 home games up next. First, they entertain the Boston Celtics, still stinging from a shock defeat at the hands of Orlando Magic. Then they face Orlando magic!

Small world

As it stands, the Heat are performing as follows:

• 16-9 at home

• 11-13 on the road

A fairly decent record either way, but they will be hoping to get at least one result from those upcoming 2 home games.

Key to those games will be the Heat's top scorer.

• Jimmy Butler

2022/’23 averages per NBA game:

• G: 34 \ GS: 34 \ MP: 33.9 \ PTS: 21.6 \ FG%: 51.6* \ 3P%: 31.3 \ FT%: 85.1 \ TRB: 6.1 \ AST: 5.0 \ STL: 2.1 \ BLK: 0.4 \ TOV: 1.7 \ PF: 1.4

*Career high

In Monday's 100-96 win over the New Orleans Pelicans, Butler contributed:

• 18 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 5 steals

Rather impressively, he scored 10 points from field goals with a 71.4% conversion rate.

Like the Detroit Pistons, who they are doing significantly better than, Miami Heat have 7 players averaging double-figures in scoring. They have excellent strength in depth there, and look solid right across the board in fact. For rebounds, they need look no further than:

• Bam Adebayo

2022/’23 averages per NBA game:

• G: 43 \ GS: 43 \ MP: 34.9 \ PTS: 21.4 \ FG%: 54.0 \ 3P%: 10.0 \ FT%: 80.0* \ TRB: 10.1 \ AST: 3.0 \ STL: 1.1 \ BLK: 0.8 \ TOV: 2.7 \ PF: 2.9

*Career high

Adebayo looks like Miami's strongest player right now. He is scoring just as heavily as Butler and adding over 10 rebounds for good measure. Adebayo has been consistently good this season and makes a heavy contribution every time he takes to the court.

Any issues?

Miami Heat look to have great strength in depth right across the board. As we mentioned, they have options galore in terms of point scorers. They are not hurting for playmakers either and have 5 or 6 players that we would consider to be decent providers.

There is the issue of the minuscule points differential they have. Miami Heat are the only team in the Southeastern Conference with a positive points differential, albeit a tiny one (+0.2).

Not such a big deal?

Maybe not, but it is by far the lowest of any top 7 teams in the Eastern Conference or any of the top 12 teams in the NBA.

They are cruising atop the Southeastern Division right now but only make 6th in the Eastern and 10th in the NBA overall. That has to be, in part, down to that tiny difference between how many points they score per game (108.6) and how many they concede (108.8)

• And there is also the fact that they have the worst 3-point success rate in the Southeastern Division (34%)

• Easily the worst team logo in professional sports. Flaming testicle flying through a hoop anyone? Ok then, whatever floats your boat I guess

We are interested to see where the Heat can get to this season. We are learning not to rely on what the stats seem to tell us too much. Our instincts tell us that they can go reasonably far, certainly into the post-season. It remains to be seen how far but they have the talent for it to be tight at the top...

Atlanta Hawks (Go Hawks!) @ 3.30

NBA Southeast Division betting odds progression:

@ 2.70 — @ 1.87 — @ 1.50 — @ 2.25 — @ 2.75 — @ 3.20

Jul 29th — Oct 30th — Nov 23rd —Dec 10th — Jan 9th/11th — Jan 16th

@ 2.88 — @ 3.40 — @ 3.60 — @ 3.50 — @ 3.30

Jan 24th/27th — Jan 30th — Feb 13th/16th — Feb 27th — Mar 13th

NBA Eastern Conference betting odds: @ 46.00

NBA Championship betting odds: @ 176.00

• Record: 34-34

• Streak: 1 loss

• 18-14 at home

• 16-20 on the road

Current table positions:

• Southeast Division: 2nd

• Eastern Conference: 8th

• NBA: 15th

Update: 24th Jan 2023

Now then. Here we finally get to talk about a real team. The mighty Hawks. Talons up, ready to seize their prey and tear strips off them with a devastating beak! Well, not quite.

But we can dream

After a nice streak of 5 wins, the Hawks let their form slip and are currently on a 2-game losing streak. They will hope to change that in Oklahoma on Thursday (26th Jan). Their record at the time of writing looks like this:

• 13-10 at home

• 12-14 on the road

Nothing too unexpected there but they are looking at a punishing 5-game stretch on the road starting at the end of January. It would be preferable for them to go into that run with at least 2 straight wins behind them. Just the Thunder and the Clippers to negotiate first then...

What they do well

The Atlanta Hawks score the most field goals in the Southeastern Division and have 6 players getting double-figures each time they play. They look a highly competent attacking force at times and are not struggling for strength in depth when it comes to scoring points.

Their highest scorer is the superb:

• Trae Young

2022/’23 averages per NBA game:

• G: 42 \ GS: 42 \ MP: 35.7* \ PTS: 27.1 \ FG%: 42.4 \ 3P%: 31.9 \ FT%: 89.4 \ TRB: 2.9 \ AST: 9.8* \ STL: 1.0 \ BLK: 0.1 \ TOV: 4.1 \ PF: 1.5

*Career high

Young is a game-changing player of the highest order. But, oh boy do we wish he wouldn't turn the ball over so much! He is the worst offender in the whole NBA. Good job he gets so many points to make up for it. And then some. Young is Atlanta's best player and at just 24 years of age, has the capacity to be a true great of the NBA if he carries on with the same intensity and maintains his fitness and focus.

He is joint 2nd in the NBA for assists and has been absolutely smashing it in recent games.

• 12 and 13 assists in his last 2 games

• 27, 25, and 21 points in his last 3 games

Trae Young is ably backed each game by:

• Dejounte Murray

2022/’23 averages per NBA game:

• G: 42 \ GS: 42 \ MP: 36.5* \ PTS: 21.0 \ FG%: 46.1 \ 3P%: 37.0 \ FT%: 84.0 \ TRB: 5.5 \ AST: 6.1 \ STL: 1.7 \ BLK: 0.3 \ TOV: 2.4 \ PF: 1.5

*Career high

Murray is the better rebound-snatcher of the two, and gives the ball away significantly less but they are otherwise evenly matched.

The Hawks are otherwise right through the middle stat-wise when compared with the other teams in their division. Despite Trae Young's best (worst) efforts, they have the fewest turnovers per game (12.8) in the Southeastern Division. The 3rd best record in the whole NBA.

Problems and potential issues

We're not seeing deep defensive strength when we look at the Hawks' player statistics. They are the highest-placed team in the Eastern Conference with a negative points differential (-0.6)

Sitting exactly midway in the NBA overall, only the LA Clippers are above them and also in negative figures. They would be in 10th position if it were a league based solely on how many points a team scored each game. But even though they score reasonably well, they simply allow their opponents to do the same too often.

The Hawks will need to address this issue if they are to progress deep into the NBA Playoffs this season.

But we think they can hang in there for the foreseeable future. Let's hope so

Go Hawks!

Washington Wizards @ 46.00

NBA Southeast Division betting odds progression:

@ 23.00 — @ 10.00 — @ 6.50 — @ 10.00 — @ 9.50 — @ 18.00

Sep 14th — Oct 28th — Nov 22nd —Dec 9th — Jan 9th/11th — Jan 16th

@ 23.00 — @ 19.00 — @ 12.00 — @ 19.00 — @ 46.00

Jan 24th/27th — Jan 30th — Feb 13th/16th — Feb 27th — Mar 13th

NBA Eastern Conference betting odds: @ 401.00

NBA Championship betting odds: @ 501.00

• Record: 31-36

• Streak: 2 losses

• 15-17 at home

• 16-19 on the road

Current table positions:

• Southeast Division: 4th

• Eastern Conference: 12th

• NBA: 23rd

The Washington Wizards. After a few brief ups and downs, dropping as low as @ 6.50 at one point, they find themselves back where they started in September with NBA Southeastern Division betting odds of @ 23.00.

So, what strengths do they have?

Well, they've got a decent points scorer in:

• Bradley Beal

2022/’23 averages per NBA game:

• G: 26 \ GS: 26 \ MP: 33.2 \ PTS: 22.5 \ FG%: 52.7* \ 3P%: 35.5 \ FT%: 86.6 \ TRB: 3.5 \ AST: 5.2 \ STL: 1.0 \ BLK: 0.6 \ TOV: 2.7 \ PF: 1.8

*Career high

As he's only getting an average of 33 minutes per game, there is probably more scoring potential in Beal. He converts the chances he takes with an excellent rate of 52.7% and is not bad from the free throw line either with 86.6%.

Those are stats that speak to us of a solid player that might not set the world on fire in any one category but can be relied upon to perform to a consistently decent standard game after game.

In fact, the Wizards have 5 players in double-figures for points per game and there is almost nothing between Beal, Porzingis, and Kuzma.

• All of them get an average of around 22

This is excellent news for the Wizards in terms of strength in depth. And with Porzingis out for at least 2 weeks with a left ankle sprain, they will need it.

The Wizards have the best field goal conversion rate in the Southeastern Division (47.9%)

They also:

• Take the most defensive rebounds (DRB)

• Make most blocks (BLK)

Other than that, they are one of those 'straight-down-the-middle' kinds of teams that keep plugging away. They do most things competently and do not look horrendously weak in any one area. Nor do they capture the imaginations of those who watch them play with outrageous skills and athleticism. Solid and reasonably dependable. And normally we're all about that. We've said it a million times but here it is again:

Consistency is the key

It's all very well to be able to showboat like the Harlem Globetrotters but that will not get you through a gruelling season of games in the NBA. It is a tough league in which to do business and even with some good, dependable performances from the Washington Wizards, they still find themselves 25th of 30 in the NBA.

What mistakes are they making?

Their results breakdown is as follows:

• 12-10 at home

• 10-16 on the road

Nothing super-unusual there. A shaky team when they travel but not an absolute travesty. They score an average number of points for the league and allow their opponents to do the same. Sure, they are at a slight deficit in terms of their points differential (-0.8) but the Los Angeles Clippers have the exact same differential and are 12 places above the Wizards overall.

Tricky tricky tricky

How do we pinpoint the issues then? The Wizards score well. They take a decent number of rebounds, especially defensively. They are not lacking playmakers. It comes down to that elusive X factor. Despite performing adequately, they have only won 43.5% of their matchups. And that's not enough. With the same deficit of points, the Clippers have won 51% of theirs.

All is not lost for the Washington Wizards, they are currently on a 2-game winning streak but they are about to embark on a run of 5 games on the road where, as we have seen, they have not fared well. They will cover a lot of distance too, all the way down to Texas and Louisiana then up as far as Detroit.

We wish them well

Orlando Magic @ 276.00

NBA Southeast Division betting odds progression:

@ 201.00 — @ 301.00 — @ 601.00 — @ 61.00 — @ 51.00

Sep 5th — Oct 29th — Nov 29th —Dec 18th — Dec 30th

@ 81.00 — @ 101.00 — @ 151.00 — @ 276.00

Jan 9th/11th — Jan 16th/27th — Jan 30th — Feb 13th/Mar 13th

NBA Eastern Conference betting odds: @ 501.00

NBA Championship betting odds: @ 501.00

• Record: 28-40

• Streak: 1 win

• 16-19 at home

• 12-21 on the road

Current table positions:

• Southeast Division: 4th

• Eastern Conference: 13th

• NBA: 26th

At 5-5 in their last 10 matchups, Orlando Magic are struggling to make any headway in the NBA this season.

So, what's happening?

Of all the teams in the Eastern Conference, Orlando Magic are the only one to have 8 players averaging double-figures for points scoring per game. So we should expect them to be getting high tallies every game then? Well, we can expect it all we want, but we would be wrong. Orlando are 27th of 30 in the NBA when it comes to scoring points. They sit around the middle in terms of allowing their opponents to score but it's not enough to elevate them above 13th in the Southeastern Division and 26th in the NBA overall.

Chief among their scorers is the remarkable rookie:

• Paolo Banchero

2022/’23 averages per NBA game:

• G: 40 \ GS: 40 \ MP: 33.8 \ PTS: 22.5 \ FG%: 43.9 \ 3P%: 32.0 \ FT%: 75.8 \ TRB: 6.5 \ AST: 3.8 \ STL: 1.0 \ BLK: 0.5 \ TOV: 2.8 \ PF: 2.3

A virtual shoo-in for the NBA Rookie of the Year award with betting odds @ 1.07, Banchero is ruling the roost more than any rookie we have seen in recent times. If we discount those players that haven't featured in the requisite number of games to count in terms of stats, then Banchero is also the assists leader with 3.8

In fact, after Houston and Oklahoma, Orlando have the youngest squad in the NBA. If we use the list of top scorers as our reference point then the top 9 players have an average age of just 22.6. Banchero is surely proving that age is not necessarily a barrier to performance. But we can't help thinking that the guiding hands of some experienced veterans might be useful now and again.

• Of Magic's players that are regularly getting significant minutes on the court (20+), only Gary Harris (28) and Terrence Ross (31) even come close to being what we could call veterans.

Issues and struggles

Even though there are players providing a few more assists than Banchero per game, this is one area where Orlando looks to be lacking strength in depth. They have the lowest number per game in the Southeastern Division and their top 5 assist-givers combined get 21 per game (and they don't all play at the same time)

Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers gets half that many by himself.

That's simply not enough

Orlando's record this season is as follows:

• 12-12 at home

• 6-17 on the road

Again, we are not surprised by those numbers but they do tell the story of the team's season rather nicely.

If Magic hope to step it up and pull away from the bottom of the league then they've got a lot of hard work to do. They face the totally out-of-form Pacers next. But they are a wounded side that will be looking to halt a devastating 7-game losing streak and may prove formidable opponents. They will surely be hungry for the win.

After that come Miami and Chicago. Both in good form and with the motivation to play hard. Miami are in danger of being caught by the Atlanta Hawks (Go Hawks!) if they are not careful and Chicago are essentially neck-and-neck with the Indiana Pacers and need to prevent the Toronto Raptors from usurping them. Some tough games to come then.

Time will tell if they can rise to the challenge...

Charlotte Hornets @ 501.00

NBA Southeast Division betting odds progression:

@ 11.00 — @ 26.00 — @ 61.00 — @ 401.00 — @ 301.00

Jul 29th — Oct 24th — Nov 10th — Dec 13th — Jan 9th/11th

@ 501.00 —

Jan 16th/Feb 27th/Mar 13th —

NBA Eastern Conference betting odds: @ 1001.00

NBA Championship betting odds: @ 501.00

• Record: 22-47

• Streak: 1 loss

• 11-22 at home

• 11-26 on the road

Current table positions:

• Southeast Division: 5th

• Eastern Conference: 14th

• NBA: 27th

Following only their second 2-win streak of this whole season, the Charlotte Hornets lost to Utah Jazz on Tuesday night 120-102

Their record this season is as follows:

• 5-16 at home

• 8-19 on the road

Abysmal stuff by anyone's standards.

So, where did it all go wrong?

Charlotte concede an extraordinarily high number of points. Allowing their opponents to score an average of 118.9 points per game, whilst providing only 112.4 themselves leaves them with a points differential of -6.5. Only Detroit, San Antonio, and Houston are worse.

They are a long way off the pace from the free-throw line too. Worst in the southeastern Division and joint 4th worst in the NBA.

Are they doing anything right?

Per game, in the Southeastern Division, the Charlotte Hornets:

• Score the 2nd highest number of field goals (41.8)

• Attempt the most field goals (92.5)

Unfortunately, that also gives them the lowest field goal conversion rate (45%) 3rd worst in the whole NBA

They also:

• Snatch the most rebounds per game in the Southeastern Division (45.5)

In fact, the Hornets are particularly strong at taking rebounds and have some serious depth to that strength. They have 9 players taking what we would consider to range between decent and excellent numbers of rebounds per game. Top of the list being Mason Plumlee with a superb 9.8. But there are 4 others getting 5+ per game too and not many teams can boast that.

The Charlotte Hornets are blessed with some serious talent in the shape of:

• LaMelo Ball

2022/’23 averages per NBA game:

• G: 22 \ GS: 22 \ MP: 34.2* \ PTS: 23.5* \ FG%: 40.9 \ 3P%: 37.0 \ FT%: 87.5* \ TRB: 5.2 \ AST: 8.2* \ STL: 1.1 \ BLK: 0.3 \ TOV: 3.0 \ PF: 3.5

*Career high

In his 3rd season with the Hornets, Ball is coming into his own somewhat. He is getting more points per game than ever before (23.5) and hitting more from the free-throw line. We'd really like to see him rein in those fouls and turnovers but they tend to come with the territory for the higher-scoring players.

He takes a decent number of rebounds, most of them defensive ones and is also looking very useful in terms of playmaking and creating chances for his teammates.

• Currently he is doing so 8.2 times per game

As he has only played 22 games this season, he is not the Hornets' official assists leader. That title belongs to Terry Rozier who also happens to be their official points leader with 21.4

The Charlotte Hornets are yet another team that baffles us when it comes to scoring. They are one of only a handful of teams to have 7 or more players making double-figures each game. And almost all of them are languishing down at the bottom of their respective divisions and conferences. Clearly, we were sooo wrong to think that scoring was the most important factor in the success of an NBA team.

They face Chicago next and then Miami. As we mentioned when talking about Orlando, these are both teams that have a lot to play for and we suspect they will cause major problems for the Hornets.

We will cross our fingers for them but don't hold out much hope...

Here at The Jump Hub we love to make mistakes and talk a lot of nonsense at times.

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Follow Andrew D on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AndrewDNBA

The Jump Hub tip: (6th Jan '23)

Milwaukee Bucks @ 1.36

Best value odds bet:

Indiana Pacers @ 101.00

*Key to terms:

G: Games \ PTS: Points \ FG%: Field goal percentage \ 

3P%: 3-point percentage \ FT%: Free throw percentage \ 

TRB: Total rebounds \ AST: Assists \ STL: Steals \ BLK: Blocks \ 

TOV: Turnovers \ PF: Personal fouls \