Boston At Atlanta NBA Free Picks

Posted by Henry Watkins on Wednesday,April 5, 2017 11:45, EDT in

NBA News, Betting Tips, Picks & Previews

A couple of years back, we had ourselves a little bit of a surprise in the NBA Eastern Conference when the Atlanta Hawks came out of nowhere to win it in convincing style. As good as they were in the regular season that year, they went on to make very little impact in the playoffs. The Boston Celtics are in position to pull off a similar surprise, as they are currently tied at the top of the East with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the defending NBA champion and the overwhelming favorite to win the East again this season. It would be a major coup if the Celtics were able to pull this on out, and ionically enough, they are going to need to take out the Hawks if they are to deliver the same surprise that Atlanta did two seasons ago. The prize for getting top spot is home court advantage throughout the playoffs, which should be a big enough carrot for anyone to want to take a bite out of. The outcome of this one may well hinge on what Boston does on Wednesday night versus the Cleveland Cavaliers. Find out more about the updated NBA betting lines here.

In Depth Analysis On The Celtics At Hawks NBA Free Picks

When: Thursday, April 6 at 8 PM EST
Where: Phillips Arena, Atlanta
TV: TNT
Live Stream: Watch NBA
NBA Odds: Celtics -4 (-115)

Why bet on the Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics (50-27) have had a season that no-one but the most diehard fan saw coming. They are in a position to land the #1 seed in the East, but it may very well hinge on what happens on Wednesday night when they host the Cleveland Cavaliers. A win there would put them a full game up heading into their final 4 games of the season, the majority of which they should be able to win. The trip to Atlanta should not be one that the Celtics are particularly dreading, especially since the Hawks have come unglued in recent weeks. That said, Boston has only managed 2 wins in their last 5 meetings with Atlanta, so I don’t expect them to be too cocky, especially if they fall to Cleveland.

Why bet on the Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks (39-38) have been slowly but surely sucked down into the lower half of the playoff picture, and are now in a position where they need a win or two in their final few games in order to actually clinch a postseason spot. This looks like a team in total freefall right now, as they are just 2-8 in their last 10 games, with no-one on that squad seemingly willing to step up and take a leadership role. Even if they do make it into the playoffs, you really have to wonder how long they will stick around. The Hawks do have a winning record at home, and did manage to beat Boston last time the met, so this one is not a total lost cause.

Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction

I am on the fence with this one, as it really might depend on what happens with Boston on Wednesday versus Cleveland. I think the Celtics will find a way to win this one, regardless of that result, though.