Celtics vs Hawks Odds: Atlanta Hoping to Stave off Elimination in Game 6

The Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks are headed to a Game 6 following the Hawks’ 119-117 victory at TD Garden. Leading 3-2, the second-seeded Celtics will look to close out their Eastern Conference first-round series on Thursday at State Farm Arena.

Let’s take a closer look at the

Murray Returns

Dejounte Murray, who drew a one-game suspension for bumping an official following Sunday’s 129-121 loss, is returning for Game 6. It’s a significant boost for the seventh-seeded Hawks, who are trying to become just the 14th team in NBA history to overcome a 3-1 series deficit.

Murray is averaging 25.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.3 steals this series, serving as strong complement to All-Star guard Trae Young. He is in his first season with Atlanta after being acquired in an offseason blockbuster trade with the San Antonio Spurs.

Over 74 games this NBA season, Murray averaged 20.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists. He led the Hawks in minutes with 36.4 per game.

With Murray out, Young shouldered the load offensively in Game 5, pouring in a game-high 38 points on five 3-pointers. Young’s final 3-pointer of the night put Atlanta ahead for good with 2.1 seconds remaining. He also had 13 assists.

After starting in Murray’s absence, Bogdan Bogdanovic, who scored 18 points and six rebounds, will likely shift back to the bench for Game 6.

Young Heating Up

Young still isn’t shooting with great efficiency, but he’s been more productive of late. He went 5-for-13 from beyond the arc in Game 5, the most 3-pointers he’s made since hitting six against Washington on March 10.

From the play-in tournament through Game 3 of this series, Young combined to shoot just 6-of-27 from 3 (22.2%). He hit 33.5% of attempts during the regular season, the lowest mark since he was a rookie in 2018-19.

Boston Remains Title Favorite

One loss didn’t diminish the long term outlook on Boston. In fact, with the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks trailing 3-1 in their first-round series, the Celtics’ NBA title odds improved slightly from +240 to +200. The second-best odds belong to the Phoenix Suns (+400), who advanced past the Los Angeles Clippers in five games out West. Milwaukee is currently listed at +600.

The Celtics also remain a -110 favorite to win the East, with Milwaukee next in line at +320.

Meanwhile, Boston’s series odds dropped from -20000 to -2500.

Handicapping Game 6

It’s no coincidence Boston has been at or near the top of the 2023 NBA standings for months. The Celtics are well-rounded, ranking second in both offensive and defensive efficiency during the regular season, and they have one of the game’s best duos in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

As such, they went 57-25 to finish one game behind Milwaukee in the East.

Nevertheless, despite all those credentials, Boston has had trouble putting away Atlanta. The Celtics have covered the spread in all three of their wins, though none of the victories have been by more than 13 points. The 13-point spread in Game 5 — obviously a byproduct of Murray’s absence — was the largest of the series. However, the Celtics vs Hawks series has been a close battle, and the Hawks have shown they are not to be underestimated, as they have managed to keep every game within reach.

The series now heads back to Atlanta, where the Celtics vs Hawks odds have dropped ahead of Game 6. Boston is favored by 6 points and -235 on the moneyline, with Atlanta coming in at +195. The over/under is 232, a half-point above the projected total from Game 5. The over has hit in each of the last three games.

The Hawks still have their work cut out to force Game 7 on the NBA schedule. However, it’s not an improbable task if they can get another big effort from Young and limit Tatum and/or Brown.

For Celtics vs Hawks odds, NBA betting news, analysis and more, visit pointspreads.com.

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