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Hawks try to take advantage of injury-riddled Celtics Friday
BOSTON CELTICS (37-26)
at ATLANTA HAWKS (37-25)
Tip-off: Friday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Line: Atlanta -10, Total: 178½
Two teams playing great basketball in the season’s final month square off Friday night in Atlanta when the Hawks host the short-handed Celtics, who will be playing without their four best players in this game -- PG Rajon Rondo (back), SG Ray Allen (ankle), SF Paul Pierce (thigh) and PF Kevin Garnett (rest).
Rondo (12.1 PPG, 11.6 APG) and SG Ray Allen (14.2 PPG, 45.3% 3-pt FG) did not make the trip to Atlanta, and Pierce (19.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.6 APG) and Garnett (16.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG) are expected to rest on Friday. Atlanta has been having a huge month, going 6-2 (SU and ATS) in eight April games. Can the Hawks cover this double-digit spread? For the answer, connect to the NBA Three-at-Three Pass for ATS picks covering all the marquee NBA games each day. The NBA Pass is a sizzling 32-15-1 ATS (68%) in April, including a tremendous 16-4-1 ATS (80%) since April 12.
Boston’s defense has been extremely tough in the past nine games (7-2 SU, 5-4 ATS), limiting opponents to 89.8 PPG on 41.5% FG and 32.2% 3-pt FG. Six of these opponents have scored 86 points or less in this span. The Celtics offense has also been running smoothly with 98.1 PPG on 50% FG and 40% threes in the past eight contests. They have not been a great road team this season (15-17 SU and ATS), but the C’s are 8-4 (SU and ATS) in their past dozen games away from home.
Pierce will be missed the most on the court after his recent scoring binge of pumping in 36.0 PPG on 61% FG in his past two games. But more impressive was his career-high 14 assists in Wednesday’s win over Orlando. PF Brandon Bass (12.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG) will be counted on even more in Boston’s small lineup on Friday. Bass scored 21 points on 7-of-11 FG against the Dwight Howard-less Magic, but grabbed only two rebounds in 37 minutes. Bass has done a nice job crashing the glass with 14.5 PPG and 10.0 RPG in two wins over Atlanta this season. SG Avery Bradley (7.1 PPG) stayed piping hot on Wednesday with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting. He now has 19.0 PPG on 60% FG (11-of-16 threes) in his past five games. PG Keyon Dooling (3.5 PPG) will have to find his stroke in this game, as he is just 3-of-12 for seven total points in his past three games spanning 53 minutes. This FoxSheets trend supports the Celtics:
Play On - Road teams (BOSTON) - after failing to cover 2 of their last 3 against the spread, extremely tired team - playing 9 or more games in 14 days. (55-35 over the last 5 seasons.) (61.1%, +16.5 units. Rating = 1*).
Atlanta has scored 105.4 PPG on 49% FG in its eight April games, and has allowed its opponent to reach 100 points just once this month, limiting these eight teams to a mere 90.9 PPG on 44% FG (32% threes). For the season, the Hawks are 20-9 at home (15-14 ATS), winning seven of their past nine (5-4 ATS) at Philips Arena.
The Hawks did not have to exert much energy their last time out in a 116-84 thrashing of Detroit, as no starter played more than 22 minutes. Eleven of the 12 players in that game scored at least six points, led by F Ivan Johnson (6.4 PPG), who had 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. That gives Johnson 13.6 PPG and 6.3 RPG in seven games this month. PF Josh Smith (18.8 PPG, 9.6 RPG) has also had a strong April, going for 18.8 PPG and 8.6 RPG. Smith has been the standout against the Celtics as well with 15.0 PPG, 11.0 RPG and 6.5 APG in the two meetings. SG Joe Johnson (18.5 PPG, 3.9 APG) has shot poorly in his past five games (36.7% FG, 21.4% threes), but has done a nice job handling the basketball with 10 assists and just one turnover in his past three games. He has 19.5 PPG in two matchups with Boston this season, but has shot just 41.2% FG to get his points. This two-star FoxSheets trend expects the Hawks to win comfortably:
Play On - Home favorites (ATLANTA) - after beating the spread by 42 or more points total in their last seven games against opponent after going over the total by 30 or more points total in their last three games. (42-17 over the last 5 seasons.) (71.2%, +23.3 units. Rating = 2*).
BOSTON CELTICS (37-26)
at ATLANTA HAWKS (37-25)
Tip-off: Friday, 7:05 p.m. ET
Line: Atlanta -10, Total: 178½
Two teams playing great basketball in the season’s final month square off Friday night in Atlanta when the Hawks host the short-handed Celtics, who will be playing without their four best players in this game -- PG Rajon Rondo (back), SG Ray Allen (ankle), SF Paul Pierce (thigh) and PF Kevin Garnett (rest).
Rondo (12.1 PPG, 11.6 APG) and SG Ray Allen (14.2 PPG, 45.3% 3-pt FG) did not make the trip to Atlanta, and Pierce (19.7 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.6 APG) and Garnett (16.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG) are expected to rest on Friday. Atlanta has been having a huge month, going 6-2 (SU and ATS) in eight April games. Can the Hawks cover this double-digit spread? For the answer, connect to the NBA Three-at-Three Pass for ATS picks covering all the marquee NBA games each day. The NBA Pass is a sizzling 32-15-1 ATS (68%) in April, including a tremendous 16-4-1 ATS (80%) since April 12.
Boston’s defense has been extremely tough in the past nine games (7-2 SU, 5-4 ATS), limiting opponents to 89.8 PPG on 41.5% FG and 32.2% 3-pt FG. Six of these opponents have scored 86 points or less in this span. The Celtics offense has also been running smoothly with 98.1 PPG on 50% FG and 40% threes in the past eight contests. They have not been a great road team this season (15-17 SU and ATS), but the C’s are 8-4 (SU and ATS) in their past dozen games away from home.
Pierce will be missed the most on the court after his recent scoring binge of pumping in 36.0 PPG on 61% FG in his past two games. But more impressive was his career-high 14 assists in Wednesday’s win over Orlando. PF Brandon Bass (12.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG) will be counted on even more in Boston’s small lineup on Friday. Bass scored 21 points on 7-of-11 FG against the Dwight Howard-less Magic, but grabbed only two rebounds in 37 minutes. Bass has done a nice job crashing the glass with 14.5 PPG and 10.0 RPG in two wins over Atlanta this season. SG Avery Bradley (7.1 PPG) stayed piping hot on Wednesday with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting. He now has 19.0 PPG on 60% FG (11-of-16 threes) in his past five games. PG Keyon Dooling (3.5 PPG) will have to find his stroke in this game, as he is just 3-of-12 for seven total points in his past three games spanning 53 minutes. This FoxSheets trend supports the Celtics:
Play On - Road teams (BOSTON) - after failing to cover 2 of their last 3 against the spread, extremely tired team - playing 9 or more games in 14 days. (55-35 over the last 5 seasons.) (61.1%, +16.5 units. Rating = 1*).
Atlanta has scored 105.4 PPG on 49% FG in its eight April games, and has allowed its opponent to reach 100 points just once this month, limiting these eight teams to a mere 90.9 PPG on 44% FG (32% threes). For the season, the Hawks are 20-9 at home (15-14 ATS), winning seven of their past nine (5-4 ATS) at Philips Arena.
The Hawks did not have to exert much energy their last time out in a 116-84 thrashing of Detroit, as no starter played more than 22 minutes. Eleven of the 12 players in that game scored at least six points, led by F Ivan Johnson (6.4 PPG), who had 16 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. That gives Johnson 13.6 PPG and 6.3 RPG in seven games this month. PF Josh Smith (18.8 PPG, 9.6 RPG) has also had a strong April, going for 18.8 PPG and 8.6 RPG. Smith has been the standout against the Celtics as well with 15.0 PPG, 11.0 RPG and 6.5 APG in the two meetings. SG Joe Johnson (18.5 PPG, 3.9 APG) has shot poorly in his past five games (36.7% FG, 21.4% threes), but has done a nice job handling the basketball with 10 assists and just one turnover in his past three games. He has 19.5 PPG in two matchups with Boston this season, but has shot just 41.2% FG to get his points. This two-star FoxSheets trend expects the Hawks to win comfortably:
Play On - Home favorites (ATLANTA) - after beating the spread by 42 or more points total in their last seven games against opponent after going over the total by 30 or more points total in their last three games. (42-17 over the last 5 seasons.) (71.2%, +23.3 units. Rating = 2*).
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