The Atlanta Hawks (22-28) travel to face off against the Boston Celtics (38-12) on Wednesday, February 7th. This game will be played at TD Garden in Boston and televised on NBCS. The Celtics are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Hawks are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Grizzlies. Tip-off is set for 7:30 ET.
Hawks vs Celtics
The Hawks Look To Bounce Back From A Loss
De’Andre Hunter led Atlanta with 27 points against the Clippers, the highest on the team. He finished with a field goal percentage of 53.7% in the game. While Trae Young was 2nd on the team with 25 points, Atlanta fell short in the game with a final score of 149-144.
With their upcoming matchup against the Celtics, the Hawks are looking to improve their below .500 record of 22-28. At home, the Hawks have gone 12-14 compared to their 10-14 record on the road.
Atlanta has an overall ATS record of 14-36 as they come into today’s game. In their last two road games, Atlanta has been unable to cover the spread, and they hold an ATS record of 7-17 on the road as opposed to 7-19 at home.
The Celtics Are Coming Off A Win
The Celtics clinched a 131-91 win over the Grizzlies in their previous game. The Celtics not only won the game but also covered the spread as -19.5-point favorites. The over/under line heading into this matchup was 218.5 points in which the two teams surpassed.
So far this season, the Celtics have gone 38-12 overall and are 2-1 in their last three games. In conference play, the Celtics are 25-6 compared to 13-6 in non-conference games.
Boston’s ATS record sits below .500 (23-25). Boston has gone 21-24 against the spread this season when they are the favorites, and they are 2-1 when playing as underdogs.
Hawks Offense Breakdown
The Atlanta offense will take the floor in today’s game with the league’s 3rd ranked offense at 121.6 points per game.
So far this season, the Hawks have been one of the league’s most potent offenses, ranking 3rd in scoring at 121.6 points per game. However, they have been slightly better at home (124.1 PPG) compared to on the road (119.0 PPG).
When it comes to pace, Atlanta is 4th in the NBA, averaging 101.6 possessions per game. In terms of field goal percentage, they are 22nd at 46%.
When it comes to three-point shooting, the Hawks have been one of the league’s best teams, ranking 7th in both three-point makes (13.8 per game) and attempts (38 per game). However, their three-point shooting percentage is just 36% (16th).
Celtics Offense Breakdown
Leading up to today’s matchup, the Celtics are one of the NBA’s top offenses, averaging 120.3 points per game (5th).
When playing at home, the Celtics have been one of the league’s top-scoring teams, averaging 121.5 points per game (6th). Overall, they are 5th in the NBA with 120.3 points per game.
So far this season, the Celtics have made the most three-pointers in the league, averaging 16.2 made threes per game. They have also been one of the NBA’s top shooting teams from beyond the arc, making 37% of their attempts (4th).
In terms of pace, Boston is 16th in the league at 98.5 possessions per game. They are also 13th in field goal percentage (47%) and 6th in true shooting percentage.
Hawks Team Defense
At present, the Hawks’ defense is ranked 29th, allowing 123.9 points per game. When it comes to forced turnovers, the Hawks are forcing 12.8 per game, which is 15th in the league. They also come into the game sitting 25th in blocked shots at 4.4 per game.
Celtics Team Defense
At this time, the Celtics’ defense is positioned 5th in the NBA, permitting 110.7 points per game. Boston struggled on the boards in their last game vs. the Grizzlies, giving up 17. For the game, Memphis scored 91 points in the game.
Key Players For The Hawks And Celtics
Our projections for today’s game indicate that Trae Young will be the primary scorer for the Hawks, with 26 points and going 8/19 from the field. This season, he is averaging 27.3 points per game along with 2.8 boards.
On the other side, Jayson Tatum is our projected leading scorer for the Celtics. We have him ending the game with a team-high 25 and grabbing 8 rebounds. Throughout the season, he has maintained a 47.3% field goal shooting rate and is averaging 27 points per game.
Hawks vs Celtics Trends
- In their last ten games away from home, the Hawks have a straight up record of 3-7 while going 2-8 vs. the spread. The team averaged 116 points per game in this stretch.
- In their last five home games, Boston has averaged 117 points per game while allowing 111. The team’s record in this stretch was 4-1 while going 3-2 vs. the spread.
- Spanning across their last five games as the betting underdog, the Hawks have gone 1-4 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 1-4.
- In their last three contests as the favorite, Boston has a poor record vs the spread going 1-2. But, they still put together a straight up mark of 2-1.
Hawks vs Celtics Prediction
For a pick on the point-spread in this Celtics vs. Hawks matchup, our bet is to grab the Hawks at +12. Even though our projections have the Celtics winning 116-112, we see the Hawks as the play on the point-spread.
Regarding the over/under, the current line is set at 243.5, and our model predicts the Hawks and Celtics to score a combined 228 points. We recommend betting on the under.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:February 7, 2024 Celtics, Hawks