Hawks vs. Celtics Series Preview: Predictions, NBA Best Bets & Odds

In the first round of the NBA playoffs, the Boston Celtics will face off against the Atlanta Hawks. We have Hawks vs. Celtics predictions from our NBA expert and also have valuable tips on how to benefit from an exciting offer by DraftKings Sportsbook.

By betting $5 on any money line and winning, you can receive $150 in bonus bets from DraftKings. Take advantage of this incredible promotion by signing up for a new account with DraftKings Sportsbook today, with no promo code required. Continue reading to see our Hawks vs. Celtics predictions.

HAWKS VS. CELTICS SERIES PREVIEW & BEST BET: Boston -2.5 games (-165 at DraftKings)

Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics Series Preview

The final NBA Play-In games will tip off Friday night, but the Atlanta Hawks already secured the #7 seed in the Eastern Conference by taking down the Miami Heat Tuesday night. Now, they will take on the Boston Celtics, who are the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference and own a 57-25 regular season record.

These teams faced off three times in the regular season, and Boston won all three games by an average of 13.4 points. The Hawks will need to play their best basketball of the year if they want to take down Boston, but our experts aren’t confident they can do so.

Hawks vs. Celtics Predictions for the First Round of the NBA Playoffs

Game 1 will take place on Saturday at 3:30 PM ET (ESPN) at the TD Garden. Boston won all three games against Atlanta during the regular season, and we expect them to pick up right where they left off.

After defeating the Miami Heat 116-105 in the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday night, Atlanta will look to improve their performance against Boston in the playoffs. Although the Hawks have talented players like Dejounte Murray and Trae Young, they have struggled to come together as a cohesive team throughout the season.

Conversely, the Celtics have been one of the league's top teams this season, largely due to the impressive performances of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. As demonstrated in last year's NBA playoffs, Tatum and Brown form a formidable duo that can dominate games and lead their team to the Finals.

Our expert Hawks vs. Celtics prediction is leaning toward the Celtics. Although, the Celtics to win the series are fairly steep odds. Therefore, our experts suggest taking to win in 4 or 5 games. Thus, the best bet from our experts' Hawks vs. Celtics predictions is Boston -2.5 games (-165 at DraftKings), as we do not see them losing more than one game.

Hawks vs. Celtics Picks & Best Bets for the Series: Boston -2.5 games (-165) at DraftKings

Our experts don’t advise bettors to pay the -1000 odds on the Celtics to win the series, as the potential payout for a $100 bet would be only $10. The Hawks could put up a fight in the series if players like Young and Murray replicate their performances from their game against the Heat.

Nonetheless, Boston's perimeter defenders, such as Brown, Tatum, Smart and Brogdon have the skills to contain the likes of Young, Murray and Bogdanovic. For those who believe the Celtics will win, it would be more sensible to take Boston -2.5 games (-165 at DraftKings).

Boston has proven to be a stronger defensive team than the Hawks, ranking third in Defensive Rating (111.5) and fifth in points per game allowed (111.4), while the Hawks have a Defensive Rating of 116.3 and allow an average of 118.1 PPG. With these defensive strengths in mind, the Celtics may be able to win the series in four or five games.

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How to bet on the Celtics With DraftKings and get $150 in Betting Bonuses

As we recommend our best bet and expert predictions for the Hawks vs. Celtics series, new users can also benefit from an excellent offer from DraftKings Sportsbook.

By registering for a new account and depositing at least $5, users can bet on the Celtics series price for a chance to receive $150 in bonus bets. If the Celtics win, the user will receive their initial bet, any winnings, and an additional $150 in bonus bets.

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Betting Odds & Lines for Hawks vs. Celtics Brought to you by DraftKings Sportsbook

Full odds for the Hawks vs. Celtics series can be found below brought to you by DraftKings Sportsbook:

Series Winner:

• Celtics: (-1000)
• Hawks: (+650)

Series Spread:

• Celtics -1.5 games (-380) vs. Hawks +1.5 games (+285)
• Celtics -2.5 games (-165) vs. Hawks +2.5 games (+135)
• Celtics -3.5 games (+230) vs. Hawks +3.5 games (-300)

A $165 bet on the Celtics -2.5 games profits $100 if they win the series in four or five games, while a $100 wager on the Hawks +2.5 games returns $135 of profits if Atlanta wins two games or more in the series.

Join DraftKings and risk $5 on the Celtics' money line (-390 at DraftKings) in Game 1 to earn $150 worth of bonus bets if they win.

How to Watch and Stream Hawks vs. Celtics in the NBA Playoffs

This is considered one of the marquee series of the playoffs, therefore the majority of the games will be on ESPN starting this Saturday. However, we've listed the entire first-round schedule for our experts' Hawks vs. Celtics predictions below:

• Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics - 4/15 at 3:30 PM ET on ESPN
• Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics - 4/18 at 7 PM ET on NBATV
• Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks - 4/21 at 7 PM ET on ESPN
• Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks - 4/23 at 7 PM ET on TNT
• Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics - 4/25 at TBD*
• Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks - 4/27 at TBD*
• Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics - 4/29 at TBD*

*if necessary*

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