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The Atlanta Hawks are down 0-1 going into Game 2 vs. the Boston Celtics after a blowout loss. With a dominating win against the Miami Heat in the 2023 NBA Play-In Tournament, the Hawks put up a dud in their first 2023 NBA Playoffs game. The Celtics jumped out to a 29-19 lead after the first quarter, and then trounced the Hawks in the second quarter to the tune of 45-25. This basically put the game out of reach, and the Celtics went on to take Game 1 vs. the Hawks 112-99. Going into Game 2, the Hawks are going to have put forth a much better effort if they want to go back to Atlanta with the series tied.
There were a few bright spots for Atlanta, starting with Dejounte Murray. In his first playoff appearance as a Hawk, Murray had 24 points to go along with 8 rebounds and 6 assists. As a team, they showed the ability to fight as well, going on a 32-12 run in the second half to cut the deficit to 96-84 during the start of the fourth quarter. This came after the Celtics had led by as many as 32 points, so the Hawks definitely exhibited a never quit mentality. Ultimately, the run proved futile, as the Celtics pulled away late for the 13 point win. Overall, a lot will have to go differently for the Hawks in order to win Game 2. Here are 3 bold predictions for the Atlanta Hawks that will lead to a much different outcome in Game 2 vs. the Boston Celtics in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
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*Stats via ESPN
Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young breaks NBA Playoffs slump
Trae Young is absolutely ice cold in his recent playoff outings for the Atlanta Hawks. In Saturday's game against the Celtics, Young had 16 points on 5-18 shooting, including a rough 1-5 from the 3-point-line. This comes after a stretch of terrible shooting performances in his last 7 playoff games. Over that stretch, he is 8-49 from the 3-point-line, officially the least amount of makes over the most attempts in NBA Playoffs history. In Tuesday's Game 2, Young is going to break out of his slump and shoot over 50% from the field.
More importantly than his overall shooting percentage, Young is actually going to shoot over 50% from the 3-point-line as well. This will be a welcomed sight for Atlanta players, coaches, and fans alike. Young has not lived up to the billing of a star player and needs to have a signature playoff performance soon. Whether they win Game 2 or not, Trae Young is finally going to break his NBA Playoffs slump.
Dejounte Murray has a triple-double vs. the Boston Celtics
Dejounte Murray was the bright spot in the Hawks lineup in Game 1. He played confidently all game long, despite having an 0-6 shooting performance from the 3-point line. He was only 2 rebounds and 4 assists away from a triple-double, and given the Hawks performance in Game 1, he will need to be even better for them to have a chance in Game 2. With that being said, he will do exactly that and finish Game 2 with a triple-double in the stat sheet.
Murray had a strong regular season, averaging 20.5 points, 6.1 assists and 5.3 rebounds over 74 games. However, after posting 13 triple-doubles with the San Antonio Spurs last season, he only had 1 this year in a Hawks uniform. This can certainly be attributed to the more talented Hawks roster, but he certainly could have been expecting more than 1. Nevertheless, he will make up for it in Game 2, giving the Hawks a triple-double performance reminiscent of his Spurs days. Atlanta hopes that a Murray triple-double will be enough in Game 2 to help them even the series.
Bogdan Bogdanovic hits 5 threes
Bogdan Bogdanovic had a decent performance in Game 1, posting the highest plus/minus on the roster, albeit it being just +3. He was also the only player on the team to hit multiple 3-pointers, again albeit a mediocre 2-7 performance. In Game 2, Bogdanovic is going to build on that performance and then some. Come the final buzzer, the Hawks forward is going to have made at least 5 3-pointers, a feat he accomplished 7 times in the regular season.
Bogdanovic is known for his playmaking ability and basketball intelligence off-the-ball, although he has been an above average shooter for the majority of his career. He shot a very solid 40.6% from the 3-point line this season, and is a career 38.7% 3-point-shooter. Coming off the bench in Game 2, Bogdanovic is going to get hot early and keep letting the deep ball fly. The Hawks will be elated with his production off the pine, as his shooting will open up the offense for the rest of the roster. With Young bouncing back, Murray posting a triple-double, and Bogdanovic hitting 5 threes, the Hawks will have a much better chance in Game 2 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs vs. the Boston Celtics.
