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The 2023 NBA Playoffs are off and running, and some big moments have already found their way into the history books. While some teams are already thinking about the second round, some series still need to be decided. That is the case for the first-round matchup between the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks. With the C's set to travel to Atlanta to face the Hawks on Thursday, that means it's time for some Celtics Game 6 predictions.
The Celtics went 57-25 in the regular season, finishing as the second seed in the Eastern Conference. Boston's 57 wins represented a six-win improvement compared to the previous year, and also earned them the second-best record in the entire league, trailing only the Milwaukee Bucks at 58-24.
On the other side of the matchup, the Hawks finished 41-41 and made it to the Play-In Tournament as the eighth seed. Atlanta managed to upset the Miami Heat 116-105 on the road to officially clinch the seventh seed in the playoffs and a first-round date with the Celtics.
In Game 1, the Celtics opened the series with a 112-99 victory at home, and then followed it up with a 119-106 win in Game 2. In Game 3 in Atlanta, the Hawks managed to get their first win of the series with a 130-122 result, but Boston struck back in Game 4 and opened a 3-1 series lead after a 129-121 victory. However, with their season on the line and Dejounte Murray on the sidelines, Atlanta won 119-117 at the TD Garden on Tuesday to force a Game 6.
Now back at the State Farm Arena, the Hawks will have their fans on their side with hopes of tying the series at three apiece. So with all this in mind, here are some bold predictions for the Boston Celtics for Game 6 of their first round series against the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night.
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3. The Celtics hold Trae Young to at best 40 percent shooting from the field
In Game 5, the Hawks had a major absence on the court with Murray picking up a one-game suspension after “making inappropriate contact with and verbally abusing a game official” after the final buzzer sounded in Game 4. In the first four games of the series, Murray averaged 25.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists with 2.3 steals per game. He made 45.6 percent of his field goals, 39.4 percent of his threes, and 100 percent of his free throws.
Without him, Trae Young had to overcome his efficiency struggles to keep Atlanta alive in the series. He ended up finishing Game 5 with 38 points, 13 assists, and four rebounds shooting 14-for-33 from the field and 5-for-13 from beyond the arc, including the game-winning 3-pointer in the final seconds. For the series, Young is shooting 42.1 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from long distance. While those numbers are not exactly ideal, they are considerably better compared to Games 1 and 2.
If the Celtics want to end the series on Thursday, they must contain Young. After getting burned by him in Game 5, the Celtics will up their defensive pressure on Young and hold him to at best 40 percent shooting from the field, which would seriously hurt the Hawks offense.
2. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combine for 50+ points and 15+ rebounds
As for the Celtics, they will need everything they can get from their stars to avoid this series going to Game 7. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are coming off the best years of their respective careers and have continued to make a big impact in the postseason. Tatum ended up earning his fourth consecutive All-Star selection and was in the MVP conversation throughout the season. Brown received his second All-Star nod and could make an All-NBA team for the first time in his seven-year career.
So far in the first round, Tatum is registering a team-high 26.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and five assists per game while hitting 43.5 percent of his field goals, 34 percent of his long-range shots, and 88 percent of his free throws. Brown, on the other hand, is putting up 25.6 points, 5.4 boards, and 3.2 assists with 1.4 steals per game. He is shooting 54.6 percent from the field, 44 percent from the 3-point line, but a woeful 57.9 percent from the charity stripe.
With Tatum and Brown needing to step up, the duo will play an important role in Game 6 by combining for 50-plus points and 15-plus rebounds. Should that happen, Boston will be in a solid position to put this series to an end.
1. Celtics close out the series in a dramatic fashion
While the Hawks certainly have momentum on their side following their Game 5 upset, the Celtics were one of the most dominant teams in the regular season. According to FanDuel, Boston is still the favorite to win this contest, as the spread is currently, set at -6 in their favor, which is considerably lower than the -13 spread in favor of Boston ahead of Game 5. This is one of the lowest spreads in the series so far.
All things considered, especially how well Tatum and Brown have been this season, the Celtics will close out the series 4-2. However, expect Game 6 to be a thriller just like Game 5. The final possessions should play a key role in the final result, and it could come down to a game-winning shot once again.
