4) Atlanta Hawks vs Boston Celtics
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Atlanta Record: 48-34 (Home 27-14; Road 21-20)
Boston Record: 48-34 (Home 28-13; Road 20-21)
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Season series: 3-1 to the Hawks
The Boston Celtics are one of the most efficient teams in the league on both ends of the floor. The Celtics bank on the genius of Isiah Thomas to carry them through on the offensive end. On defence, they have the talent to stifle the best guards in the game with their elite wing defenders.
Avery Bradley’s defence on Curry was maybe the best on-ball defence I have witnessed all season and given how well drilled and coached the Celtics are, it is no surprise that a team bereft of any big name superstar managed to excel in the East.
The Hawks, on the other hand, have had a humbling season after the exploits of last year. Their offensive rating has dropped drastically but they have moulded themselves into a premier lock-down defensive team. Millsap and Horford do a great job defending the pick-and-roll as well as anchoring the paint, and Bazemore and Teague are no pushovers on the defensive end.
Both teams seem evenly matched and this series will for certain go down to the wire.
MVP of the series
The greatest impact on the series will most probably come from Isiah Thomas who is having his best ever season in the NBA. Thomas’s shot-making ability off the dribble can open up the best defence in the game and expect him to be the difference maker in what promises to be a great duel between Teague and Thomas.
Key matchups
The critical defining matchup in the series will be the duel between Teague and Thomas. Both are extremely capable ball-handlers who can really create their own shots and make big time shots. Teague is known for his offensive bursts and also famed for coming into his own in the playoffs.
Further, the Hawks have two All-Stars in Horford and Milsap who will certainly dominate the game inside. Milsap remains overtly underestimated on both ends of the floor and Horford is one of the most well-rounded players in the game.
However, the duo will be hard-pressed to match up with the effort and intensity of Sullinger and Johnson on the boards. Boston is one of the better offensive rebounding teams in the game and Hawks one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the league. So expect the Celtics to win the rebounding battles and earn second chance opportunities that may very well be the deciding factor in the series.
X-Factor:
Avery Bradley will be given the task to keep Teague quiet and the best on-ball defender in the game has both the defensive fortitude and the intensity to come out trumps. His offence will also be critical as he needs to be shooting at a high clip to take the burden off Thomas.
Prediction:
Celtics in seven. But, it may very well be the Hawks in seven. This is truly too tight to call.
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