Celtics Looking To Take 3 Game Lead

AuthorAuthor

Zach Beier & Chubbs Scheffler
April 21, 2023

Good morning,

Let’s dive in…

Developing Stories 📰

Game 3: Celtics VS. Hawks:

The Boston Celtics will travel to Atlanta for Game 3 of their first-round playoff series looking to take a 3-0 lead. The Celtics built a big 22-point lead, survived the Hawks' rally and then closed out Game 2 strongly. Atlanta’s miserable shooting was their biggest issue heading into Game 2. The Hawks shot just 38.8% from the field in the series opener, including a horrendous 17.2% from behind the arc. Game 3 may be the Atlanta Hawks’ best chance of getting a win in the series. They simply cannot afford to go 0-3 down. After two big losses on the road, they will be excited to play in front of their home fans. Atlanta had a 24-17 record at State Farm Arena before the playoffs started. The Boston Celtics, however, were one of the best teams on the road in the regular season. They had a 25-16 win-loss slate away from TD Garden. Only the Milwaukee Bucks (26-15) were better than them when playing in front of a hostile crowd. Boston’s run to the NBA Finals last season has made them a more poised unit away from home. Wins against the Bucks, Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors on the road will serve them in good stead in Game 3 on Friday night.

Game 3: Cavaliers VS. Knicks:

The Cleveland Cavaliers matched the New York Knicks’ bully ball and blew them out in Game 2 to tie their series at one game apiece. Donovan Mitchell only had 17 points, but he had a game-high 13 assists along with two steals and a block. It was Mitchell who urged Garland to be aggressive leading into Game 2 and it paid off for the Cavaliers. Meanwhile, Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson struggled with their shots. Randle finished with 22 points, but he was 8-20 from the field. The lasting image of Game 2 was the All-Star forward grimacing in pain after receiving a hard foul from center Jarrett Allen and the Cavs up by 23 points. Brunson shot 5-17 from the field but also had six assists, five rebounds and four steals. The last time Madison Square Garden hosted a playoff game was on June 5, 2021. The fourth-seeded New York Knicks hosted the fifth-ranked Atlanta Hawks in Game 5 of their first-round series.

Trae Young led the Hawks to a 4-1 series win, eliminating the Knicks on their home floor. “Ice Trae” solidified his status as one of New York’s favorite villains with that performance. The Knicks are looking to dull memories of that loss with a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 on Friday night. It’s not an elimination game for the Knicks, but a victory would give them a leg up on their Eastern Conference rivals.

Game 3: Nuggets VS. Timberwolves:

The Denver Nuggets finally saw what the Minnesota Timberwolves are capable of in the playoffs in Game 2. Jamal Murray exploited all the attention thrown at Nikola Jokic to explode for 40 points, the most he has scored in the postseason in Denver. Michael Porter Jr., himself suffering from persistent back injuries, came through for the Denver Nuggets. He scored 13 of his 16 points in the final period, including a personal 8-0 rally to keep the Minnesota Timberwolves at bay.

If not for Jokic, Murray and Porter Jr., Anthony Edwards’ 41-point performance for the Timberwolves might have been rewarded with a win. Edwards became just the fifth player to have at least 40 points in a playoff game at age 21. He joined LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Tracy McGrady and Ja Morant on that elite list. The Denver Nuggets have capitalized on all the attention the Minnesota Timberwolves have been devoting to back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic. He is averaging 20.0 points, 11.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists in the series. Jokic is also hitting 51.6% from the field, including 33.3% from behind the arc. Karl-Anthony Towns has to live up to expectations. It won’t be surprising to see the Timberwolves get a win behind Towns’ All-Star-level performance. Anthony Edwards needs help, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. If Towns comes up short once again, as he did in games 1 and 2, this series could be over.

Headlines 🚨

On This Day in Sports History: 1996 Chicago Bulls win NBA record 72 games.

Max Scherzer gets 10 game ban by the MLB, Scherzer will appeal the penalty and fine imposed by Michael Hill.

76er's James Harden was ejected late in the third quartre of the teams 102-997 Game 3 win. The 76er's take a 3-0 series lead.

Malcolm Brogdon named the winner of the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award.

Booker scored a game-high 45 points on a blistering 18-for-29 shooting (62%) in the Suns' 129-124 victory over the Clippers in Game 3.

French wing Bilal Coulibaly, a projected first-round pick, told ESPN he has submitted paperwork to the NBA office to make himself eligible for the 2023 draft.

The Oakland Athletics are leaving to go to Las Vegas.

The Dallas Cowboys have done the easy part by picking up the fifth-year option for 2024 on CeeDee Lamb, but would like to sign the wide receiver to a long-term extension at some point this season.

DJ Uigalelei picked Oregpn State as his transfer destination, sight unseen, primarily because of an NFL-style offense that puts great responsibility on its quarterbacks.

Stars center Joel Pavelski didn't travel with the team to Minnesota for Games 3 and 4 of the first-round playoff series against the Wild while still in concussion protocol from a crushing hit in the opener.

Trends 📈📉 via Oddsshark

🏀 76ers at Nets

  • Philadelphia is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Brooklyn

  • Philadelphia is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Brooklyn

  • The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 5 games at home

  • The total has gone OVER in 4 of Brooklyn's last 6 games when playing Philadelphia

🏀 Kings at Warriors

  • Sacramento is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 games when playing on the road against Golden State

  • Sacramento is 11-2 ATS in its last 13 games on the road

  • Golden State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Sacramento

  • Golden State is 12-1 SU in its last 13 games at home

🏀 Suns at Clippers

  • The total has gone OVER in 8 of Phoenix's last 9 games on the road

  • The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Phoenix's last 8 games when playing on the road against LA Clippers

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of LA Clippers's last 5 games at home

🏒 Hurricanes at Islanders

  • Carolina is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against NY Islanders

  • Carolina is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing on the road against NY Islanders

  • NY Islanders is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games

  • NY Islanders is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home

🏒 Bruins at Panthers

  • Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 5 games on the road

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Florida's last 6 games when playing Boston

  • Florida is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against Boston

🏒 Stars at Wild

  • Dallas is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games

  • Dallas is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games on the road

  • The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Minnesota's last 5 games when playing Dallas

  • The total has gone UNDER in 16 of Minnesota's last 23 games at home

🏒 Oilers at Kings

  • Edmonton is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road

  • Edmonton is 10-1 SU in its last 11 games

  • Los Angeles is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games

  • The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Los Angeles's last 8 games when playing Edmonton

⚾️ Dodgers at Cubs

  • LA Dodgers is 12-2 SU in its last 14 games when playing Chi Cubs

  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of LA Dodgers's last 6 games

  • Chi Cubs is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games

  • Chi Cubs is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games

⚾️ Reds at Pirates

  • Cincinnati is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road

  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cincinnati's last 6 games when playing Pittsburgh

  • Pittsburgh is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games

  • Pittsburgh is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

⚾️ White Sox at Rays

  • Chi White Sox is 4-2 SU in its last 6 games when playing Tampa Bay

  • Chi White Sox is 8-4 SU in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Tampa Bay

  • Tampa Bay is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

  • Tampa Bay is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games at home

⚾️ Tigers at Orioles

  • Detroit is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games

  • Detroit is 9-1 ATS in its last 10 games when playing Baltimore

  • Baltimore is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

  • The total has gone OVER in 4 of Baltimore's last 5 games at home

⚾️ Blue Jays at Yankees

  • Toronto is 13-5 ATS in its last 18 games when playing on the road against NY Yankees

  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 6 games when playing Toronto

  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of NY Yankees's last 6 games at home

⚾️ Rockies at Phillies

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Colorado's last 6 games when playing Philadelphia

  • The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Colorado's last 5 games on the road

  • Philadelphia is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Colorado

  • Philadelphia is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Colorado

⚾️ Marlins at Guardians

  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Miami's last 5 games

  • Miami is 10-3 ATS in its last 13 games on the road

  • Cleveland is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Miami

  • Cleveland is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games when playing Miami

⚾️ Astros at Braves

  • Houston is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing on the road against Atlanta

  • Houston is 17-6 SU in its last 23 games on the road

  • Atlanta is 8-1 SU in its last 9 games

  • The total has gone OVER in 4 of Atlanta's last 5 games at home

⚾️ Athletics at Rangers

  • The total has gone OVER in 7 of Oakland's last 8 games on the road

  • Oakland is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing Texas

  • Texas is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games

  • Texas is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games

⚾️ Red Sox at Brewers

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of Boston's last 6 games when playing on the road against Milwaukee

  • Milwaukee is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games

  • Milwaukee is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games

⚾️ Nationals at Twins

  • Washington is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing Minnesota

  • Washington is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games on the road

  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Minnesota's last 7 games at home

  • Minnesota is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing at home against Washington

⚾️ Royals at Angels

  • The total has gone OVER in 11 of Kansas City's last 13 games on the road

  • The total has gone UNDER in 6 of LA Angels's last 7 games when playing Kansas City

  • LA Angels is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games at home

⚾️ Padres at Diamondbacks

  • San Diego is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Arizona

  • San Diego is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing on the road against Arizona

  • The total has gone OVER in 4 of Arizona's last 5 games

  • Arizona is 5-2 ATS in its last 7 games at home

⚾️ Cardinals at Mariners

  • The total has gone UNDER in 5 of St. Louis's last 6 games on the road

  • The total has gone OVER in 4 of St. Louis's last 5 games

  • Seattle is 5-10 SU in its last 15 games when playing St. Louis

  • Seattle is 4-8 SU in its last 12 games at home

⚾️ Mets at Giants

  • NY Mets is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games

  • NY Mets is 6-1 SU in its last 7 games on the road

  • The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Francisco's last 6 games when playing NY Mets

  • The total has gone OVER in 4 of San Francisco's last 5 games when playing at home against NY Mets

Public Money 🤑 via VSiN at 9AMCT

🏀 NBA

40% of bets and 57% of money is on UNDER 211.5 CLE at NYK

4.22.23

55% of bets and 74% of money is on PHX -5

32% of bets and 68% of money is on UNDER 220.5 MEM at LAL

🏒 NHL

55% of bets and 73% of money is on NYI -120

34% of bets and 72% of money is on DAL -1.5

43% of bets and 75% of money is on EDM -1.5

⚾️ MLB

35% of bets and 52% of money is on OVER 9.5 LAD at CHC

64% of bets and 86% of money is on OVER 9 DET at BAL

66% of bets and 84% of money is on OVER 8.5 COL at PHI

60% of bets and 86% of money is on CLE -1.5

43% of bets and 67% of money is on UNDER 7.5 MIA at CLE

44% of bets and 84% of money is on UNDER 7.5 WSH at MIN

34% of bets and 57% of money is on UNDER 8.5 BOS at MIL

38% of bets and 61% of money is on SD -1.5

57% of bets and 81% of money is on NYM -1.5

46% of bets and 63% of money is on UNDER 9 NYM at SF

Future Odds 🔮 via Bovada Sportsbook

Injury Report 🏥 via ESPN

Nikola Jokic | Probable vs MIN 4.21.23

BOS (PF) Danilo Gallinari | Out - Knee

CLE (SG) Dylan Windler | Out - Foot

CLE (SF) Cedi Osman | Questionable - Ankle

DEN (C) Nikola Jokic | Probable 

MIN (SG) Jaylen Nowell | Questionable - Knee

MIN (C) Rudy Gobert | Questionable - Back

Weekend Picks 🔒

Celtics -5 | The Celtics have won seven of their last 10 games in Atlanta as well as seven straight games against the Hawks overall. Their ability to score the ball with ease shouldn't stop against an Atlanta squad that ranks 19th in defensive efficiency and 25th in point allowed per game (117.4) at home this season.