Celtics vs Hawks Odds: Boston a Double-Digit Favorite in Game 2
Celtics' Odds to Win First-Round Series Climb From -1000 to -2500
The Boston Celtics looked true to form to start the NBA playoffs, hammering the Atlanta Hawks 112-99 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. Atlanta’s first opportunity to bounce back and even the series will come Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, NBA TV) at TD Garden.
With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the Celtics vs Hawks odds for Game 2.
How Did They Get Here
The second-seeded Celtics — a 9-point favorite — hit 13 3-pointers and shot 47.7% from the field in Game 1, nearly identical to their season average per NBA team stats. They held the seventh-seeded Hawks to just 38.8% shooting.
Boston’s 30-point lead at the half (74-44) matched its largest halftime lead in team playoff history. The Hawks outscored Boston 31-20 in the third quarter but never got closer than within 12 points with nine minutes left.
Atlanta star Trae Young was mostly a non-factor, scoring only 16 points — 10.2 below his season average — on 5-of-18 shooting. He also committed five turnovers. Dejounte Murray led the team with 24 points.
As a team, the Hawks were only 5-of-29 from 3-point range.The Hawks came in averaging 118.4 points, ranking third in the NBA, and 123 over their last five games. Because of their struggles, the teams combined for only 211 points, 19.5 under the projected total.
Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Derrick White carried the bulk of offense for Boston, combining for 78 points (69.6% of the team’s scoring). Brown and Tatum also pulled down 12 and 11 rebounds, respectively.
The Celtics improved to 46-36-1 against the spread this season, while Atlanta dropped to 36-47 ATS.
Handicapping Game 2
Oddsmakers don’t have much faith that Atlanta will rebound in Game 2. The Celtics vs Hawks odds say as much. Boston is a 10-point favorite, matching the largest spread on the board (76ers-Nets), and -550 on the moneyline. Atlanta, meanwhile, is priced at +415. The over/under is a shade lower than the projected Game 1 total at 228.5.
Additionally, Boston’s odds to win the series have jumped from -1000 to -2500. Sportsbooks remain most confident in the Celtics’ ability to close out Atlanta in either four (+160) or five games (+170).
The Hawks came into the playoffs with questions about their ability to defend, and Saturday’s rout did nothing to alleviate them. Brown and Tatum combined to shoot 22-for-46 (47.8%) from the field, and they got plenty of help from White. Boston is now averaging 123 points in the teams’ four meetings this season. Even more concerning, the Hawks were outmuscled on the boards 58-45 and watched Young hit just one of his five 3-point attempts.
The Celtics remain the better team on both ends of the floor. As long as they continue to contain Young, they should have little trouble making this a short series. That said, it wouldn’t be surprising to see some positive regression from deep on Atlanta’s end on Tuesday.
For Celtics vs Hawks odds, NBA betting lines, analysis and more, visit pointspreads.com.
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