The Boston Celtics host the Atlanta Hawks for an Eastern Conference battle! It's time to continue our NBA odds series with a Hawks-Celtics prediction and pick.

The Hawks are coming off a close loss to the Los Angeles Clippers 149-144 in a non-overtime game. Defense anyone? Prior to that win, the Hawks won four straight to inch closer in the Eastern standings. Right now, ATL is 10th in the East just two games ahead of the Brooklyn Nets and 1.5 back of the Chicago Bulls. With the way things look now, it seems the Hawks will once again participate in the Play-In Tournament at 22-28 but have a chance to gain momentum with 30 games remaining.

The Celtics own the top record in the NBA at 38-12. They lost to the Los Angeles Lakers at home a few days ago but responded with a 40-point win over the Memphis Grizzlies right after. Their next two games are at home and they should be the first team to reach 40 wins. If Boston continues to play the way they are, then there is no doubt that they will make a series run in the postseason. Staying healthy is the biggest key for this team moving forward.

Here are the NBA odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

NBA Odds: Hawks-Celtics Odds

Atlanta Hawks: +12.5 (-110)

Moneyline: +570

Boston Celtics: -12.5 (-110)

Moneyline: -820

Over: 244 (-112)

Under: 244 (-108)

How to Watch Hawks vs. Celtics

Time: 7:30 ET/4:30 PT

TV: NBC Sports Boston, Bally Sports Atlanta

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Hawks Could Cover The Spread/Win

The Hawks are missing a key piece in Clint Capela. He was diagnosed with an adductor strain and didn't play against the Clippers and will miss some time. Dejounte Murray is currently questionable for this game dealing with back tightness. If he doesn't play, then the Hawks will be very shorthanded against one of the top offenses in the NBA. The Hawks are 3rd in the NBA in scoring ahead of the Celtics, but Murray averages 21.4 points per game and is crucial for their success.

Bogdon Bogdanovic, who is linked to Celtics in recent trade talks, has been scoring the ball well and scored 23 against the Celtics the last time they played. Look for him to step up and play a bigger role if Murray doesn't suit up.

Trae Young was just added to the East All-Star roster as an injury replacement. Murray is more than deserving to get the nod as he has been playing some of the best basketball of his career. The former Oklahoma guard averages 27.3 points per game which is 8th in the NBA. He also is second in the league in assists per game at 10.2. The better he plays, the better the Hawks play. They need his best out there tonight to be in this contest.

Why The Celtics Could Cover The Spread/Win

This is a large spread for a Celtics team who is only 23-25-2 against the spread this season. They are usually favored by a high margin but have made some games closer than they should be. Either way, the Celtics are 7-3 in their last 10 games and have the league-best 9.6-point differential. The C's have two 40-point+ wins on the year which helps with that differential, but when the Celtics show up they seriously put a beating on their opponents.

The Jays continue to lead this team. They are both All-Stars in back-to-back seasons and Jaylen Brown will now participate in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in Indiana. They both average north of 22 points per game and have no trouble scoring against the Hawks. Jayson Tatum scored 34 in the win over the Hawks earlier this year while Brown scored 21. The Celtics are deep, and if the likes of Derrick White, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Holiday are all healthy and playing well, then there really is no stopping this team.

The only way the Celtics can let the Hawks beat them is by allowing a ton of threes. If Boston can contain the long ball, then they will cover this spread.

Holiday is currently a game-time decision with an elbow sprain.

Final Hawks-Celtics Prediction & Pick

The Celtics are dominant at home and I expect them to win this game handily with or without Holiday playing. Take them to cover this spread as well as the over cashing in.

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Final Hawks-Celtics Prediction & Pick: Celtics -12.5 (-108), Over 244 (-112)