Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics picks, predictions: Who wins NBA Playoffs series?
The No. 7 seed Atlanta Hawks and No. 2 seed Boston Celtics face off in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
Which team will win the series and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals?
Check out these picks and predictions for the NBA postseason series.
NBA Playoffs series picks, predictions: Nets vs. 76ers | Hawks vs. Celtics | Knicks vs. Cavaliers | Warriors vs. Kings | Lakers vs. Grizzlies | Clippers vs. Suns | Heat vs. Bucks | Timberwolves vs. Nuggets
NBA.com: Celtics will win series against Hawks in 4 games
John Schuhmann writes: "The Hawks have had a potent offense under coach Quin Snyder, and they were able to grab a bunch of offensive boards against the Celtics this season. But Boston still won all three meetings, scoring more than 125 points per 100 possessions (the best mark for any Hawks opponent) over the three. The Celtics don’t have any weak spots (either offensively or defensively) in their rotation, they execute well on both ends of the floor, and Tatum is a star who was absolutely terrific through the first three rounds of the playoffs last year."
Draft Kings: Celtics will be too much for Hawks in first round
It writes: "The Hawks have been highly inconsistent this season, sporting a tremendous offense and a lackluster defense which left them right at .500 for the regular season. New head coach Quin Snyder will eventually have to sort out the defensive end for this team to be competitive, and there are now questions about Trae Young’s future with the organization. This is not the ideal time for these reports to surface, but the Hawks do have enough firepower to put a scare in the Celtics in the first round."
NBA Playoffs series odds: Nets vs. 76ers | Hawks vs. Celtics | Knicks vs. Cavaliers | Warriors vs. Kings | Lakers vs. Grizzlies | Clippers vs. Suns | Heat vs. Bucks | Timberwolves vs. Nuggets | Game odds
Sportsnaut: Celtics will defeat Hawks in 5 games
Austin Konenski writes: "The Celtics are for sure a top-3 team in the Eastern Conference but the competition slowly crept closer during the season. Boston has the talent to make another run to the NBA Finals with the team also promoting Joe Mazzulla to official head coach. The team will now sit in second place overall for our NBA playoff predictions in the Eastern Conference as the Bucks now own home-court advantage in a possible Eastern Conference finals party."
SB Nation: Take Celtics in 4 games against Hawks
Keith P Smith writes: "Trae Young may go off and win a game almost all by himself. Boston may have a game where they get super sloppy or one of those 8-for-40 nights from behind the arc. But the Celtics offense-defense combo is just too much for the Hawks to overcome and that’s why we’re thinking sweep."
NBA Playoffs series schedules: Nets vs. 76ers | Hawks vs. Celtics | Knicks vs. Cavaliers | Warriors vs. Kings | Lakers vs. Grizzlies | Clippers vs. Suns | Heat vs. Bucks | Timberwolves vs. Nuggets | Daily TV schedule
NBC Sports: Go with the Celtics in 5 games vs. Hawks
Darren Hartwell writes: "The Celtics get into trouble when they don't take their opponents seriously, and they can't walk into TD Garden expecting the Hawks to roll over. Atlanta has plenty of bulletin board material and has the offensive potential to make things interesting if Young and Co. steal a game in Boston."
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Atlanta Hawks vs. Boston Celtics NBA Playoffs series predictions
