After losing three straight to the powerhouse teams of the Western Conference, the Hawks have resumed their domination over the East. They sit comfortably at the top of the conference standings, nine games ahead of Cleveland. Atlanta is coming off consecutive wins over Orlando and Miami, and I can't see them slipping up here in Charlotte.

Here are my keys to the game:

1. Previous History - The Hawks have won eight of the last 10 in this series, and they've covered the spread in seven of those games. Atlanta has also covered the spread in six of it's last seven visits to Charlotte.

2. Kemba Walker - Charlotte's PG scored just nine points on a dreadful 3-of-17 shooting in a loss to Washington last night. His averages are still way down since returning from injury.

3. X-Factor - The Hawks have not been bothered when playing on back-to-back nights, covering the spread in seven of their last 10 such situations.

Selection: This is a play on the Atlanta Hawks (8*)