Celtics vs. Hawks NBA Playoffs Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for April 15 (Boston Takes High-Scoring Series Opener)

Celtics vs. Hawks Game Info

• Date: Saturday, April 15, 2023
• Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
• Venue: TD Garden -- Boston, Massachusetts
• Coverage: ESPN

The Atlanta Hawks and Boston Celtics kick off their first-round playoff series on Saturday at TD Garden. The Hawks moved on after upsetting the Miami Heat in the NBA Play-In Tournament, while the Celtics have their eye on another deep playoff run after making it all the way to the NBA Finals last year.

Which team will start the series with a win? Let's dive in.

Celtics vs. Hawks Odds & Spread

All NBA betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.

Celtics vs Hawks Betting Information

Favorite	Spread	Favorite Spread Odds	Underdog Spread Odds	Total	Over Total Odds	Under Total Odds	Favorite Moneyline	Underdog Moneyline
Celtics	-9	-110	-110	229.5	-110	-110	-400	315

Not surprisingly, the Celtics enter this Eastern Conference matchup as the heavy home favorite on both the spread and moneyline at FanDuel Sportsbook. This afternoon game also features a total of 230 points, which is currently the second-highest on the weekend slate.

Celtics vs. Hawks Betting Trends

• The Celtics won 43 games against the spread last season, while failing to cover or pushing 39 times.
• The Hawks covered every time (1-0) as underdogs of 9 points or more last year.
• Celtics games hit the over 41 out of 82 times last season.
• Out of 82 Hawks games last season, 43 hit the over.

Celtics vs. Hawks Prediction & Pick

The No. 7 seed Hawks return to Boston after taking down the Heat in Miami on Tuesday. Atlanta closed out the regular season at TD Garden as well, losing 120-114 last Sunday in a game where both teams rested their starters.

Both teams will have plenty of rest for this Game 1 matchup as the Hawks try to beat the Celtics for the first time this year. Boston swept the season series 3-0 and will look to stay undefeated against Atlanta.

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The Celtics are the much better team on paper, winning 16 more games than the Hawks during the regular season. While both squads rank top 4 in scoring, Boston's defense is far superior. The Celtics allowed the fifth-fewest points per game this year, while the Hawks surrendered the fifth-most.

Atlanta's inability to keep opponents off the scoreboard is going to be a major problem in this series against Boston's potent offense. The Celtics are also an incredible 32-9 at home this year, while the Hawks are a pedestrian 18-24 on the road.

This game could end up being closer than expected thanks to the fresh legs on both sides, but Boston should still take it.

Final Score Prediction: Celtics: 123 | Hawks: 116

Celtics vs. Hawks Best Bet

With two of the highest-scoring teams in the league squaring off, this game should feature a ton of points. That was the case during the regular season as well, as the three Atlanta-Boston matchups averaged a whopping 240 points. Even the bench players combined for 234 points last weekend, so we could see even more buckets on Saturday. Take the Over.

Bet: Over 230 Total Points (-110)

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.