Atlanta Hawks vs Boston Celtics Game 3 Prediction and Odds: 2023 NBA Playoffs

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After a pair of 13-point wins in Boston, the Celtics can take a commanding 3-0 lead in Atlanta this Friday evening in Game 3. If the Hawks want to avoid a sweep in these NBA playoffs they better find a way to get Trae Young and the offense going.

Prediction 1

Boston Celtics -5

10/11 (-110)

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Prediction 2

Trae Young Over 3.5 Rebounds

59/50 (+118)

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These odds from William Hill were correct at the time of writing.

Atlanta Hawks vs Boston Celtics – Game Predictions

Contents

1 Atlanta Hawks vs Boston Celtics – Game Predictions
- 1.1 Prediction 1: Boston Celtics to Cover the Spread (-5)
- 1.2 Prediction 2: Trae Young Over 3.5 Rebounds
2 Hawks vs Celtics Preview – Can Trae Young Get It Going?
3 Atlanta Hawks vs Boston Celtics Game Details

The Hawks have started poorly in both games in Boston, but they will hope to put on a better show in front of the home crowd as a 5-point underdog. However, the Hawks have the fifth-worst home record ATS this season at 18-23 (43.9%).

Prediction 1: Boston Celtics to Cover the Spread (-5)

This feels a lot like the 76ers-Nets series where one team is just simply better after winning the first two games by double digits. We saw the 76ers squeak out a 5-point win on the road in Game 3, and that is all Boston has to do to cover the spread here. Atlanta is 3-4 ATS as a home underdog this season. Boston is not a dominant spread pick in the specific situations in this game (road favorite), but on the season the Celtics are 48-36 ATS, the third-best record in the NBA. Atlanta has not been able to stay closer than 6 points with Boston all season, and that should continue in this game.

Prediction 2: Trae Young Over 3.5 Rebounds

Young has played the Celtics four times this season and has finished with 3, 3, 3, and 5 rebounds. In Game 2, Young pulled down just 3-of-10 rebound opportunities (30% against his season average of 52.7%), and he twice deferred a rebound to a teammate according to NBA.com. Look for him to be more aggressive at home where he averages an extra 0.9 rebounds per game this season, and to get over 3.5 boards for good value as a prop pick.

Hawks vs Celtics Preview – Can Trae Young Get It Going?

If the Hawks are going to make a dent in this lead, they are going to have to get better than 20 points per game and 35% shooting from star point guard Trae Young, who has been outplayed by teammate Dejounte Murray (26.5 points and .429 FG%) so far.

Atlanta Hawks News, Injuries, and Starting Lineups

The Hawks were outshot by over 13 percentage points in Game 2, and they squandered 19 offensive rebounds by only shooting 42.6% from the field, 33.3% from three, and 4-of-8 at the free throw line. They need to find a way to be more aggressive near the basket with Clint Capela (4 points in Game 2) and John Collins (2-of-11 in Game 2) combining for 9 points in the last game. This compounds the shooting problems for Young at point guard.

Atlanta Hawks Injury Report:

No injuries to report

Atlanta Hawks Starting Lineup:

Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, De’Andre Hunter, John Collins, and Clint Capela.

Boston Celtics News, Injuries, and Starting Lineups

The Celtics are in very good shape in this series with the stars (Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown) playing as expected, Derrick White shined with 26 points on Tuesday night, Marcus Smart had 3 steals, and Malcolm Brogdon had 8 assists off the bench to lead the team in Game 2. Most importantly, Boston is staying healthy, which we see is a huge deal again this postseason.