Boston Celtics vs Atlanta Hawks Prediction & Match Preview - April 23nd, 2023 | Game 4, 2023 NBA Playoffs
The Boston Celtics failed to take a commanding 3-0 lead against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night. The Hawks showed a lot of resilience and managed to snatch one game from one of the best players in the league.
Trae Young, who averaged 20.0 points per game on 35.0% shooting in the first two games, finally had a great performance in Game 3. The 6-foot-1 point guard dropped 32 points on 54.5% shooting, making the series much more exciting.
Before Game 3, many basketball fans believed that the Boston Celtics would sweep the Hawks. However, considering what we saw in the last game, it wouldn't be surprising if Atlanta ties the series.
Where to watch Game 4 between the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks
Basketball fans will be able to watch the Celtics-Hawks matchup on TNT. The game will be played at the State Farm Arena, the home of the Hawks, and its scheduled tipoff time is 7 PM Eastern Time.
Additionally, the game will be available on the NBA League Pass as well.
Game preview
The Boston Celtics have been dominant in the series so far, winning two games at home, both by double digits. However, their performance on the road hasn't been spectacular.
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Boston scored 122 points on 48.9% shooting in Game 3, while also converting 43.8% of 3-point shots. However, the team allowed the Hawks to shoot 56.0% from the field, which was an abysmal job on defense.
The Celtics were one of the best defensive teams in the league during the regular season, which is why their Game 3 performance was quite surprising. They will have to do a much better job in Game 4 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.
Here are the Game 4 odds for the Boston Celtics vs Atlanta Hawks matchup:
- Moneyline (ML): Celtics -240, Hawks +200
- Against the spread (ATS): Celtics -5.5 (-118), Hawks +5.5 (-102)
- Over/Under (O/U): 232.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
Game prediction
The Boston Celtics did a horrible job on defense in Game 3, but it's very unlikely that they'll let the Hawks shoot 56% again. Due to this, we pick them to win the upcoming matchup and take a 3-1 lead.
While the Celtics are favorites to win the game, we can expect another great game from Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, who combined for 57 points in the last game. The Hawks may go down, but they won't go down without a fight.
The Hawks were in a similar situation last year. They faced the Miami Heat in the first round and lost their first two games on the road. However, they beat Miami in Game 3, only to lose their next two games.
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It will be interesting to see if they can tie the series this time and make it more interesting. However, considering how amazing the Celtics have been all season long, a Hawks victory is very unlikely.