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The 2023 NBA Playoffs are officially up and running. Following a weekend full of basketball, all eyes are now on the Game 2's of the postseason series. With the Boston Celtics set to host the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, it means it is time for some Celtics Game 2 bold predictions.
Boston went 57-25 in the regular season, finishing second in the Eastern Conference. It represented a six-win improvement compared to the previous year. The Celtics also had the second-best record in the league, only trailing 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 No. 8 seed. The team managed to upset the Miami Heat 116-105 on the road to officially clinch a spot in the playoffs.
In Game 1 on Saturday, the Celtics opened the series with a 112-99 victory at home. However, they led by 30 points at halftime, showing how the Hawks managed to nearly bounce back at the end. If this reveals something, it is that the series is far from over.
With that being said, here are some bold predictions for the Boston Celtics for their Game 2 of the first round versus the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday.
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3. Boston holds Trae Young to 40% or worse from the field
If there was something that helped the Celtics open a comfortable lead in Game 1, it was Trae Young's performance. The guard struggled in the opening minutes of the matchup and by the time he found his rhythm, it was already too late.
Young finished with 16 points, eight assists, and three rebounds plus two steals. He shot 5-for-18 from the field, 1-for-5 from beyond the arc, and 5-for-7 from the free-throw line. Notably, he had five turnovers and the team's worst plus/minus at -14.
For comparison, Young averaged 26.2 points and a career-high 10.2 assists in the regular season. He made 42.9% of his field goals and 33.5% of his 3-pointers, both of which were his worst marks since his rookie campaign. While his efficiency was far from perfect, it was still considerably better than what he had in Game 1.
Should the Celtics force him to pass the ball or take bad shots, the Hawks should have a tough time on Tuesday. The bold prediction is that Boston will hold Young to another poor shooting performance, with the two-time All-Star making 40% or less of his field goals once again.
2. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combine for at least 55 points and 15 rebounds
As for the Celtics, their duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown made a big difference on Saturday. Both players registered impactful numbers en route to a Game 1 victory.
Tatum had a double-double with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and two assists. He went 10-for-23 from the field, including three 3-pointers made in the day.
Brown also recorded a double-double with a game-high 29 points, 12 rebounds (four of them offensive), and three assists plus a steal. He shot 12-for-23 from the field and hit two 3-pointers.
Both players are coming off the best year of their careers. Tatum ended up earning his fourth consecutive All-Star selection and was in the MVP conversation in the final stretch of the regular season. Brown received his second All-Star nod and could make an All-NBA team for the first time in his seven-year career.
Even if the Hawks are able to stop Tatum, Brown could go off and vice-versa. Because of that, the bold prediction is that they will once again have big performances. Expect the duo to combine for at least 55 points and 15 rebounds in Game 2. If that is the case, the Celtics will be in a great position to take a 2-0 lead in the series.
1. Game 2 is not as dominant as the first one, but the Celtics still win
It is difficult to ignore how dominant the Celtics were in the first half of Game 1. At the end of the day, however, the Hawks did have their moments in the second half to keep things interesting. Because of that, Atlanta might not allow another Boston's early big lead in Game 2.
According to FanDuel, the Celtics are the favorites to win this contest. Currently, the spread is -10.5, the largest among all Game 2's of the first round.
Even with Atlanta's momentum from the second half, Boston still has the TD Garden on its side. The Celtics went 32-9 at home in the regular season while the Hawks had a 17-24 record on the road.
The bold prediction is that Game 2 will be much closer than the first one. Still, the Celtics should once again come out with a victory. With a 2-0 lead in the series, Boston will be taking a huge step en route to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
