The Boston Celtics head south for a matchup against the Atlanta Hawks. They’ll look to get their season turned around following a disappointing run after the All-Star Break. They’ll line up against a surging Hawks squad hoping to keep their season alive. The Celtics-Hawks betting odds point to this play as a +ROI at DraftKings. For more Celtics-Hawks bets and predictions, check out OddsShopper’s tools.
Boston Celtics–Atlanta Hawks Odds, Prediction & Best Bet | Spread
Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks (+5)
The Hawks aren’t quite in desperation mode — at 34-33, they’re back above .500 and rank eighth in the Eastern Conference. They’re also 3.5 games above the cut line for the play-in tournament. Head coach Quin Snyder has gotten a little bit more out of this roster than Nate McMillan was getting, especially on offense.
A look at the pre- and post-All Star Break splits reveals some improvement for Atlanta. The Hawks ranked 15th in offensive rating (113.7) and 23rd in net rating (-0.5) before the pause. They rank fifth in offensive rating (122) and seventh in net rating (+4.4) since. More efficient shooting has helped considerably — the Hawks ranked 21st in true shooting percentage before (57.1%) but fifth after (62.1%).
In contrast, Boston has fallen off. The Celtics ranked an elite third in offensive rating (116.9) and led the association in net rating (+6.2) before the pause. Since then, they rank 15th in offensive rating (113.5) and 14th in net rating (+0.7). Shooting and turnovers have been a problem. The Celtics ranked fourth in true shooting percentage (60.2%) but rank 17th post-ASB (57.7%). Likewise, they ranked sixth in turnover percentage (13.3%) but are 18th post-ASB (13.8%).
Lots of action has come in on Boston for this game. According to VSiN, which indexes bets placed at DraftKings Sportsbook, the Celtics have attracted a monster 91% of the handle. Pregame has that number at 82%. Yet the Celtics opened as 5-point favorites and are still available there across the market, except at DraftKings. Bettors eager to make the Celtics-Hawks prediction and back Boston must ask why the market hasn’t reacted that much.
The Celtics have struggled to take care of business against Eastern Conference opposition lately. They have lost games to the Cavaliers, Knicks, and Nets since the All-Star Break. While they have wins over the Pacers, Sixers and Cavaliers through that stretch, none came by more than five points. Perhaps that trend explains the books’ reticence to move off this number.
Bettors can buy Atlanta as a 5.5-point underdog via DraftKings Sportsbook at -110 (52%). The Celtics will need to buck a multi-game trend to cover against the Hawks, and until they do so, I feel comfortable fading them against the spread. Readers who are yet to register at DraftKings can score $150 in bonus bets after winning a $5 moneyline wager! Those in Massachusetts can get their bonus bets instantly!
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Celtics-Hawks Prediction: Hawks +5 (-110 for 0.25 Unit) at DraftKings
