The Atlanta Hawks had a surprising result on the NBA schedule when they upset the division winners, the Miami Heat, in a 115-105 victory on the road to secure the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. Their NBA playoffs series will be against the Boston Celtics (57-25), who finished with the second-best record in the league.
Atlanta (41-41) has its work cut out for it after being swept in the regular season. But the NBA matchups are new with different pressures in the postseason, and the second of four games on the NBA schedule today should be a good one.
Here is a breakdown of each team, the NBA odds, and a Hawks vs Celtics prediction.
Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics Odds
Moneyline: Atlanta is +320 on the moneyline, proving to be a profitable Hawks vs Celtics prediction should it win, while the Celtics are -400.
Spread: The Hawks are +9 at -110 odds, while the Celtics are -9 at -110 odds for Saturday’s game.
Over/Under Total: The over/under for the game is 231 points, with -110 odds on either side of the spread. Atlanta’s implied team total is 111 points, with -115 odds on the over and the under. The Celtics’ implied team total is 120 points, with -115 odds on the over and the under.
Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics Information
Atlanta Hawks vs Boston Celtics
Location of the Game: TD Garden, Boston, MA.
Date and Time: Saturday, April 14, 2023, 3:30 PM ET.
How to Watch: ESPN
Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics Betting Preview
Atlanta Hawks
A team that has been through a lot is fully healthy, as there are no Atlanta Hawks injuries reported entering the series. There was a rift early in the season between star guard Trae Young and then-coach Nate McMillan, which led to McMillan’s firing. They then hired Quin Snyder in January to complete the season and beyond.
The Hawks were great offensively, scoring 118.4 points per game which ranked third in the league, NBA team stats showed. They did it while making 35.2% of 3-pointers, which ranked 21st, but were ninth in making 48.3% of all field goals.
Defensively the Hawks allowed 118.1 points per game, the fourth worst in the league. But they were 10th at defending 3-pointers in limiting opponents to 35.6%.
They were 36-46 against the spread and 43-38-1 on over/unders. They were 17-17 against the spread as underdogs, including 2-2 as 7.5-point underdogs or worse.
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics were great under rookie coach Joe Mazzulla, who was hired prior to training camp after Ime Udoka was suspended by the team. Though last year’s conference winners returned a lot of talent, it proved a new challenge when making a Boston Celtics prediction.
Yet nothing changed as the Celtics ranked fifth in scoring at 117.9 points per game and were sixth in making 37.7% of 3-point shots. Defensively, according to the NBA player stats, they ranked fifth in holding teams to 111.4 points per game and were top five in defensive efficiency.
The Celtics were 45-36-1 against the spread and 43-38-1 on over/unders. They were 37-35-1 against the spread as favorites, including 19-18 when favored by 7.5 points or more.
Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics Betting Picks
The Celtics have a lengthy injury report, including stars Jaylen Brown (finger, probable), Marcus Smart (neck, questionable), Malcolm Brogdon (back, questionable), and Jayson Tatum (hip, questionable). But it may be cosmetic as they will have had six days off, and there is no additional information.
Those making NBA picks and parlays show 55% of public bets are on the Celtics to cover, with an additional 54% on the over. The under is 5-2 in their last seven meetings, and the Hawks are 0-5 against the spread in their last five meetings.
- Our Hawks vs Celtics prediction is the Celtics win and cover -9 points with an under-hitting with defensive intensity likely increase in the NBA playoffs.
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