Atlanta Hawks vs Boston Celtics Prediction, Preview and Odds - 04/15/2023

Game Time: 3:30 pm ET, Saturday, April 15, 2023

Venue:  TD Garden, Boston, MA

Where to Watch:  ESPN

DraftKings:  Point Spread:  Hawks +9, Celtics -9; Over/Under:  230 points

Bet365:  Point Spread:  Hawks +9, Celtics -9; Over/Under:  230 points

BetMGM:  Point Spread:  Hawks +8.5, Celtics -8.5; Over/Under:  230.5 points

Atlanta Hawks:  41-41 (2nd place, Southeast Division)

Boston Celtics:  57-25 (1st place, Atlantic Division)

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Atlanta Hawks:  6-4 last 10

Boston Celtics:  8-2 last 10

The Hawks finished the regular season with a 41-41 record overall and they were 17-24 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off of a win against the Miami Heat in their last game. Trae Young led the team in points in that game with 25 while Dejounte Murray was next on the team with 18 points. Trae Young led the team in assists in that game with 7 while Clint Capela led the team in rebounds with 21. They were 46.9% from the field, 24.4% from 3-point range, and 59.3% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 118.4 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 118.1 PPG against them. The Hawks have an ATS record of 37-45-1 this season and their O/U record is 47-36.

The Celtics finished the regular season with a 57-25 record overall and they were 32-9 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game on a 3 game winning streak with wins coming against the Toronto Raptors twice in a row and the Atlanta Hawks in their last game. Payton Pritchard led the team in points in that game with 30 while Mike Muscala was next on the team with 27 points. Payton Pritchard led the team in assists in that game with 11 while Payton Pritchard led the team in rebounds with 14. They were 47.2% from the field, 46.3% from 3-point range, and 78.6% from the free throw line with their shots in that game. Their offense is averaging 117.9 PPG and their defense is allowing their opponents to average 111.4 PPG against them. The Celtics have an ATS record of 46-36 this season and their O/U record is 42-38-2.

The current betting odds have the Celtics listed as a 9 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. This is game 1 of a 7-game series between the 2nd seeded Celtics and the 7th seeded Hawks for the 1st round of the playoffs in the NBA Eastern Conference. The Celtics finished the regular season with a 57-25 record overall making them one of the best teams in the East all year but also in the entire NBA. They were a really good home team all season with their 32-9 home record and they have had a week off to rest their players for this game. The Hawks weren't great this season with their 41-41 record overall and they were terrible in their road games with a 17-24 road record. They beat the Heat in the play-in tournament to earn this 7th seed but the Celtics are one of the strongest teams in the NBA and it is going to be very tough to go into their building and beat them. The Hawks will be healthy here but the Celtics will be too from their week of rest and this is still the same team that went to the finals last season. They are going to be really motivated to make another deep run and go to the finals so they are going to use this 1st game of the series to send a message just like they did to the Nets in the 1st round last year. The best way to place a bet here is on the Celtics to cover the spread in this game. 

Hawks Celtics Prediction:  Our NBA Pick for Saturday, April 15, 2023 (3:30 pm ET start time) is Celtics 127 Hawks 111.

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Atlanta Hawks: 5-16 ATS as a road underdog of 6.5 to 12 points. 11-24 ATS after a game where they covered the spread. 25-10 OVER after a game where they covered the spread. 8-1 OVER after allowing 105 points or less.

Boston Celtics: 21-9 ATS off a home win. 25-16 ATS after one or more consecutive overs. 24-15 OVER as a home favorite. 25-17 OVER as a favorite of 3.5 to 9.5 points.

Atlanta Hawks:  None.

Boston Celtics:  M. Smart (PG) Ques Sat - Neck. M. Brogdon (SG) Ques Sat - Back. R. Williams III (C) Ques Sat - Knee. J. Tatum (SF) Ques Sat - Hip. A. Horford (C) Ques Sat - Back. J. Brown (SG) Out indefinitely - Finger. D. Gallinari (SF) out for season - Knee.

“Our guys are trying to be the best version of ourselves at the end of the year. The year's not over. So hopefully we can take this and continue to build on it. It's one game — but it was our game.” - Quin Snyder after his team’s win against the Heat in their game on Tuesday in the play-in tournament. 

“The way his career has gone as far as playing time and not playing time, he's always handled it the right way. He has a competitiveness, a professionalism and work ethic about him.” - Joe Mazzulla on Payton Pritchard after his team’s win against the Hawks in their game on Sunday, the final game of the regular season.

PG Trae Young

SG Dejounte Murray

SF De'Andre Hunter

PF John Collins

C Clint Capela

PG Marcus Smart

SG Derrick White

SF Jaylen Brown

PF Jayson Tatum

C Al Horford

PPG: T. Young (26.2)

APG: T. Young (10.2)

Reb/G: C. Capela (11)

PPG: J. Tatum (30.1)

APG: M. Smart (6.3)

Reb/G: J. Tatum (8.8)

Coaches:

Atlanta Hawks: Quin Snyder (1st season)

Boston Celtics: Joe Mazzulla (1st season)