The Atlanta Hawks (41-32) and Boston Celtics (48-24) will square off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The game will broadcast live on FDSSE.
The Celtics are 4.5-point favorites over the Hawks on the spread (Celtics -4.5), with the over/under set at 225.5 total points. Boston is a -205 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Atlanta is +170 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Hawks vs. Celtics predictions and NBA picks for Friday, March 27.
Hawks vs Celtics Prediction, Pick
- Hawks vs Celtics pick: Hawks +4.5 (-105)
My Celtics vs. Hawks best bet is Atlanta to cover the spread. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Hawks vs Celtics Odds
| Hawks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+4.5 -105 | 225.5 -108o / -112u | +170 |
| Celtics Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-4.5 -115 | 225.5 -108o / -112u | -205 |
Hawks vs Celtics NBA Preview
Last Friday, the Hawks were blown out in Houston to snap an 11-game winning streak. It appears that it was just a blip on the radar as they have won their last three games and are now 14-1 over their last 15 games.
In that span, they rank sixth in offensive rating, first in defensive rating, and second in net rating.
On Wednesday, they needed overtime to hold on to a 130-129 victory over the Pistons. Tonight, they get the chance to knock off another top contender when they head to Boston.
Also on Wednesday, the Celtics defeated the Thunder 119-109 in a matchup of the last two NBA champions. Jaylen Brown had 31 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in the victory.
While he was initially questionable with left calf tightness, he has been ruled out for tonight's game with left Achilles tendinitis. The severity of that injury will certainly be something to keep an eye on moving forward.
It has also been 10 games since Jayson Tatum made his return against the Mavericks. Boston has won seven of those games and still ranks top 10 in defensive rating and net rating in that span. However, it has slipped to 17th in offensive rating, a far cry from its second ranking over the course of the entire season.
Tatum is averaging 19.1 points on 39/31/88 shooting splits in 30 minutes per game. Some rust was to be expected coming an Achilles that required a 10-month recovery. However, he has still been impacting the game, averaging 9.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
This will be the Hawks' first look at the Celtics with Tatum as the teams have split the first two meetings this season. There is the possibility of this being a first round matchup once again, most likely a 3-6 matchup.
However, Boston is a game ahead of the Knicks for the second seed while Hawks are a half game ahead of the Raptors for the fifth seed.
Hawks vs Celtics Predictions, Betting Analysis
Hawks +4.5
Since the Celtics defeated the Hawks in the first round in 2023, the Hawks have a 5-4 lead in the series.
Tonight, Boston will not have Brown, which typically has not been an issue this season. It has a +11.9 net rating with Brown off the floor this season.
However, this time, they will be playing without Brown while re-integrating Tatum back into the offense.
Maybe this is the game Tatum needs to shake off the rust and feel comfortable as the Celtics No. 1 option again. However, he will have to do it against a surging Hawks team.
The Hawks are 13-2 against the spread over the last month and have covered six of the last 10 meetings against Boston.
It would not surprise me if they got another outright victory tonight, I do like them to at least cover the spread.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker 18+ Points
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a major factor in the Hawks strong play.
He is averaging 23.8 points over his past 11 games and he has scored 18 points in 10 of those games.
NAW has scored 18 points in 64% of his games this season, including in both games against Boston.
Payton Pritchard 15+ Points
Without Brown, Boston will need to make up the almost 30 points that he averages and Payton Pritchard will see more usage tonight.
In seven games without Brown this season, he is averaging 23.6 points per game and scored 20 points in six of those games.
He has also scored 15 points in his last nine games overall.
Jayson Tatum 9+ Rebounds
For the third leg, I will be going with Tatum for nine rebounds.
While he may not be all the way back offensively just yet, he has recorded nine rebounds in four straight games and six of games overall this season.
Hawks vs Celtics Best Bet
- Hawks +4.5 (-105, DraftKings)
Hawks vs Celtics Parlay Picks
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker 18+ Points
- Payton Pritchard 15+ Points
- Jayson Tatum 9+ Rebounds
Parlay Odds: +315 via DraftKings
