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Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks NBA Free Pick + Gambling Preview

NBA Basketball Matchup: Boston Celtics (37-26) vs Atlanta Hawks (37-25)

This is actually a huge game between two teams likely to meet in the first round of the playoffs.

Celtics vs Hawks
Friday April 20
Philips Arena – Atlanta, GA
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Moneyline:  No money line currently listed
Spread:   Atlanta -2
O/U:  182

Matchup | Preview

Boston

Just a half game separates the two right now and how they finish will determine which team will have home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.  Boston has won both meetings this season by a combined 5 points so clearly these teams are pretty close .

Boston has been playing well lately winning 7 of 10.

Not helping Boston’s chances of keeping it up are key injuries.  Rajon Rondo took a hard fall early in the week and missed their victory over Orlando.

Also out is sharp shooter Ray Allen who was showing some renewed energy while coming off the bench.  With Rondo out of the lineup Paul Pierce has been playing the role of scorer and distributor.  He had 29 points and 14 assists against the Magic. [soliloquy id=”82219″]

Atlanta

The Hawks have also won 7 of their last 10 including a 32 point blowout of Detroit on Wednesday night.  That night the Hawks had 4 bench players score 10 or more points including a team high 17 by Tracy McGrady.

Depth has helped the Hawks weather their own injury concerns this season and if McGrady can gain some consistency he might help them surprise in the playoffs.

Speaking of surprises how about rookie Ivan Johnson.  The backup power forward has scored 14 or more points in 5 of the last 6 games as the Hawks try and manage playing time for the rest of the regular season to get ready for the playoffs.

This rookie out of Cal State San Bernardino has been temporarily taking the burden off of mainstay Josh Smith who his having his best season as a pro with career highs in scoring and rebounding.

Spread Pick:  Atlanta -2
O/U Pick:  Over
Score Prediction:  Atlanta 97 – Boston 93

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By The Wiesguy

The Wiesguy is a newcomer to the handicapping scene. Hailing from Toronto, Canada he is always sweet on the underdogs and you can often find his thoughts, musings and picks at moneydogs.blogspot.com.