Hot off a massive upset in the Play-In Tournament, the Atlanta Hawks secured their spot in the playoffs as the No. 7 seed in the East. This puts them in a daunting first-round matchup against the Boston Celtics, who dominated the Hawks during the regular season. Will Boston’s winning trend continue, or does Atlanta have another upset up its sleeve?

Nitrobetting is ready to dish out key assists and lob passes with betting tips and news coverage throughout the 2023 NBA Playoffs. This time, let’s break down the upcoming Game 1 first-round showdown between the Atlanta Hawks and the Boston Celtics.

Hawks vs. Celtics Game 1 2023 NBA Playoffs First-Round Information

We've laid out some of the key stats and storylines heading into our first-round matchup with the Hawks ⤵️https://t.co/6ofkEizrkc

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 12, 2023

• When: Saturday, April 15, 2023, 3:30 PM ET
• Where: TD Garden, Boston, MA
• TV: ESPN
• Radio: 92.9 “The Game” WZGC FM (Hawks) // 98.5 The Sports Hub (Celtics)
• Live Stream: NBA League Pass
• NBA Betting Odds: Hawks (+8.5) / Celtics (-8.5)

READ MORE: Warriors vs. Kings 2023 NBA Playoffs Odds and Game 1 Preview – April 15th

Why Bet on the Atlanta Hawks?

Once again, a potent offense carried the Atlanta Hawks to a huge victory, with their latest outing being their 116-105 win over the Heat in Miami to secure the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta has now made it to three straight postseasons but will face a tough opponent in the Celtics.

The Hawks have the best offense in the East, averaging a conference-leading 118.4 points per game. Superstar point guard Trae Young continues to wow, averaging a double-double of 26.2 points and 10.2 assists per game. Young leads all NBA players in individual assists at that, with the entire Atlanta starting five averaging double-digit scoring numbers as well. Fellow wingman Dejounte Murray (20.5 PPG), in particular, sustained his hot shooting form in his first season in ATL.

However, the Hawks’ offense could be inefficient at times. Thankfully, they’re one of the better rebounding teams in the league on the offensive glass. Center Clint Capela hauled in eight offensive boards against the Heat in Wednesday’s Play-In game and will be called upon to box out the Celtics, who were tops in the league during the regular season with a defensive rebounding percentage of 74.6 percent.

Why Bet on the Boston Celtics?

As the defending Eastern Conference champions, expectations are high this season for the Boston Celtics to go on another deep run en route to the NBA Finals. They certainly did their part in finishing the regular season strong, winning three straight and eight over their last 10 entering the playoffs.

Although the C’s scored fewer points on average than the Hawks, they’ve been much more efficient with their looks at the basket, leading the East with an average of 117.3 points per 100 possessions. Jayson Tatum is having an MVP-worthy campaign at that, averaging 30.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per contest. Unfortunately, Tatum is dealing with a hip injury and could miss Saturday’s series opener.

Key injuries on the roster could’ve derailed the Celtics’ momentum at the end of the season, but they managed to pull away with another rout of the Hawks in the final game of the regular season with their core producers sitting out the contest. What’s even better news is that Marcus Smart (neck), Jaylen Brown (finger laceration), Robert Williams (knee), and Al Horford (back) are all expected to start in Game 1.

Hawks vs. Celtics Betting Trends

• The Hawks are 4-6 on the road since the start of March (5-5 ATS).
• The Hawks are just 2-8 in its last 10 games as underdogs (4-6 ATS).
• The totals went over in five of Atlanta’s last six games in general.
• The Celtics have won five straight meetings against the Hawks (SU/ATS).
• The Celtics are on a seven-game home win streak (6-1 ATS).
• The totals went under in five of the last seven Atlanta vs. Boston matchups.

Hawks vs. Celtics Game 1 Expert Betting Predictions

For as long as the Celtics bring forth their best lineup, Game 1 is theirs for the taking. They’ve dominated the Hawks dating back to late last season and there have been no signs of them stumbling this Saturday. But if Boston misses two starters due to nagging injuries, we expect the Hawks to, cover the near double-digit spread at the very least.

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This is just one of the many sports betting guides that you can read here at Nitrobetting news. Stay tuned for more 2022-23 NBA season previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest basketball betting odds on our online BTC sportsbook.

*All odds stated are subject to change without prior notice.