Even though Atlanta has the inferior record, it is getting this one at home and is talented enough to push the Celtics. The Hawks are battling for playoff positioning themselves and would love to pick up this home win to improve their spot. The goal is to avoid the Cavs in the early rounds but it’s tough to know exactly where they will end up.
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Odds Analysis
The Celtics are 50-27 straight up and 39-37-1 against the spread. Boston has played in 39 road games this season and done well, covering in 23 of them and pushing in another. The Celtics are 29-28 against the spread as the favorite this season and may have to give a few points in this one.
The Hawks are 39-38 straight up and 35-42 against the spread. Atlanta has played in 38 home games this year and has struggled in those, covering in just 14 of them. The Hawks have done a nice job as the underdog, going 15-10 against the spread.
Key Stat
16. That’s how many points Atlanta defeated Boston by in the most recent meeting between the two teams on February 27th. The Celtics won the first matchup on January 13th by just two points, but the second game was all Atlanta.
Dennis Schroder had a team-high 21 points for the Hawks in the victory and Paul Millsap and Dwight Howard each finished with 17 points. The Boston offense struggled to make shots and Isaiah Thomas was just 4-of-21 from the field, finishing with 19 points which included 10 points from the line.
The Hawks are in a tight race right now in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference. Atlanta currently occupies the sixth playoff spot, but there are just four games separating Nos. 5 through No. 10 in the rankings so every win matters.
Player to Watch
Thomas -- Boston’s star point guard will certainly be looking to make a better showing against Atlanta this time around. His 19 percent shooting percentage in the most recent showdown with the Hawks was by far his lowest of the season as he averages 46.3 percent on the year.
Thomas leads the team in points with 29.1 per game and assists with 5.9 per game. He shot 9-for-11 and finished with 28 points in the first game against Atlanta back in January.
Thomas had 19 points against the Clippers on Sunday and prior to that game had scored 30-plus in four straight contests. With Boston fighting for a first-place spot in the East, he should be more than fired up for this rematch on the road.
Free NBA ATS Pick
The Cavs are stumbling, and the Celtics are looking to take advantage. Atlanta has shown its ability to defeat Boston and has the advantage of playing this one at home. However, Thomas is going to shoot that poorly from the field again.
Boston needs every win it can muster, and this is a huge spot. The Hawks have struggled some of late with just two wins in their past ten games, and that will continue here. Take the Celtics in a nail-biter as they zero in on finishing atop the East heading into the playoffs.
NBA Odds: Celtics 101, Hawks 99
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