Can Hawks Force Game 7
Down 3-1, the Atlanta Hawks managed to steal a game on the road from the Boston Celtics, forcing a Game 6 on Thursday. The next step for the Hawks to upset the second-seeded Celtics would be to win at home on Thursday and get to a Game 7, where anything can happen.
It seemed like the Celtics were in control of Game 5 nearly the whole time. They had a 13-point lead at home with 6:10 left in the game. Instead, Trae Young scored 16 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter, hitting a game-winning 3-pointer from the famed leprechaun logo with 1.8 seconds on the clock.
Despite the Game 5 win, the NBA lines still see the Hawks as underdogs. The Celtics remain the favorites in the NBA Finals odds, despite struggling to put the Hawks away.
Celtics Need to Return to Basics
For the most part, the Boston Celtics have dominated this series. In the first two games played in Boston, the Celtics seemingly had control the whole time. They held the Hawks, who averaged 118.4 points in the regular season, under 110 in Games 1 and 2 and led for a combined 81 minutes.
On top of that, the Celtics’ offense has been elite, with the team shooting 40% from distance during the series and four players averaging over 15 points. Boston is averaging 119.8 points in the postseason.
The offense is not the issue for the Celtics, who have struggled on defense in the last three games. In Game 3, the Celtics allowed 130 points, with 44 coming from Atlanta’s bench. Part of that is the Hawks just made shots in that game.
Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart were so bad in the final five minutes of that loss for the Celtics. Good effort by the Hawks on defense, but these back-to-back turnovers were sloppy and avoidable. pic.twitter.com/YSB3AViV5Y
— Kevin O’Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) April 26, 2023
In Game 5, Boston just let the Hawks come back. Maybe the Celtics thought they had done enough, but the offense became stagnant, taking bad shots and committing terrible fouls, while the defense did not close out on shooters. That lack of effort in the final minutes eventually is why Boston lost. NBA betting has not changed their mind about the Celtics, still see them as the favorites in Game 6.
Hawks Must Win
When the series first went to Atlanta, the Hawks were able to win that game. They fell short in Game 4, not holding the lead outside of the first quarter, but they at least tried to make it interesting late. That late push could have given the team confidence to go out and win Game 5.
The most significant sign of success for the Hawks has been what kind of game Young is having. In Games 1 and 2, the Celtics focused on him, causing Young to shoot poorly from the field. In Atlanta, Young played much better with 32 points and nine assists in the Game 3 win, followed by 35 and 15 in Game 4.
TRAE YOUNG FROM THE LOGO. HAWKS TAKE LEAD 😱😱😱 pic.twitter.com/04t1qhiImy
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 26, 2023
In Game 5, Young reminded everyone of his nickname: Ice Trae. While there will always be questions about his defensive work rate, he had a crucial late-game steal, not to mention his game-winning 3-pointer, while also creating for others.
At the level Young is playing at, it could cause bettors to second-guess themselves when taking the Celtics for NBA picks. He topped his 38-point scoring night with 13 assists in Game 5, and is averaging 35 points and 12.3 assists over the last three games.
On top of that, the Hawks were without Dejounte Murray for Game 5 because he was suspended and headlined NBA news for making contact with a referee after Game 4. The Hawks winning a game without their second-best player, averaging 25.3 points in the series, could boost the team’s confidence for Game 6, back in Atlanta.
Celtics vs Hawks Game Injuries
Celtics vs Hawks Head-to-Head
In the regular season, the Celtics dominated this matchup, winning all three games, including two in Atlanta. The Hawks have gone 1-1 in the playoffs at home.
Celtics vs Hawks Game Information
- Game: Celtics (57-25) vs Hawks (41-41)
- Location: State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
- Day/Time: Thursday, April 27, 8:30 p.m. EST
- Celtics vs Hawks Live stream: NBA Game Pass
Celtics vs Hawks Betting Lines
Celtics vs Hawks Picks and Prediction
The Hawks will be back in Atlanta, with Murray on the court and Young playing at an elite level. However, the Celtics are still the betting favorite, which makes sense because they have seemingly controlled every game, even in their two losses.
This should be the end of the line for the Hawks. The Celtics won’t let another late-game collapse ruin their season and be forced into a Game 7. However, the Hawks are not a team that can be taken lightly and should be able to make it close, especially at home.
The Atlanta Hawks are listed at +210 in our Vegas NBA odds. This means that if you wager $100 on the Hawks, you have a chance to win $210. The Boston Celtics are -260, offering a chance to win $38 on a $100 wager.
Looking for the latest and best NBA odds? Find out the odds for NBA championship at BetUS Sportsbook and Casino.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Atlanta Hawks a 32.26% chance to win, with the Boston Celtics at 72.22%.
Celtics vs Hawks Trends
Celtics vs Hawks Edge
Celtics vs Hawks Results
Celtics vs Hawks Game Summary
Hawks vs Celtics Previous (Apr 25, 2023)
Online gambling markets have the Celtics at short odds to win and they should be far too good for the Hawks.
Covering -12 lines are never easy, but they have proved to handle the pressure against the Hawks.
Over 230½ is worth including in your NBA picks after 250 points were scored on Sunday.
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