3rd quarter report
Down by four at the end of the second quarter, the Celtics are now in the lead. After three quarters, neither team has the victory in the bag, but the Celtics lead 96-93 over the Hawks. The final promises to be the last face-to-face of these teams, which was decided by a single point.
The Celtics came into the game with extra motivation after the loss they suffered the last time these two teams faced each other. We’ll see if they are able to flip the script or if it will just be more of the same.
Who’s playing
Atlanta Hawks @ Boston Celtics
Current records: Atlanta 21-19, Boston 29-12
How to watch
- When: Saturday January 18, 2025 at 7 p.m. ET
- Or: TD Garden – Boston, Massachusetts
- TV: FanDuel SN – Southeast
- Follow: CBS Sports app
- Online broadcast: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket cost: $115.00
What you need to know
The Celtics will play the full four quarters on Saturday, but they should have things wrapped up well before then. After playing yesterday, they will return immediately and host the Atlanta Hawks at 7 p.m. ET at TD Garden. The Celtics defense has only allowed 108.4 points per game this season, so the Hawks offense will have its work cut out for it.
The Celtics suffered a loss when they played away on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They topped the Magic 121-94. For those watching at home, this is the biggest win Boston has had against Orlando since February 6, 2022.
The Celtics’ victory was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Jayson Tatum, who went 12 of 21 en route to 30 points plus six rebounds and two steals. Tatum’s performance made up for a slower game against the Raptors on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Hawks didn’t have too much trouble against the Bulls on Wednesday as they won 110-94. The win made Atlanta two wins in a row.
Keaton Wallace stood out offensively in the game going 10 for 18 on his way to 27 points plus six assists and six rebounds. Additionally, he also posted a 55.6% field goal percentage, which is the highest he has posted since November 2024. David Roddy’s dreadful 0-5 three-point shooting was less useful for the Hawks.
Boston’s victory improved their record to 29-12. As for Atlanta, they have performed well recently as they have won three of their last four matches, which has given a nice improvement to their record of 21-19 this season.
Saturday’s contest is shaping up to be a scrappy game: The Celtics haven’t given up the ball easily this season, averaging just 11.5 turnovers per game (they’re ranked first in total turnovers per game). It’s a different story for the Hawks, as they average 15. Given the Celtics’ considerable advantage in this area, the Hawks will need to find a way to close that gap.
The Celtics and Hawks were neck and neck in their previous matchup in November 2024, but the Celtics came away empty-handed after a 117-116 loss. Can the Celtics avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We’ll know soon enough.
Odds
Boston is a big favorite with 10.5 points against Atlanta, according to the latest NBA Odds.
Oddsmakers moved slightly against the Celtics, as the game opened with the Celtics as 12-point favorites.
The over/under is 235.5 points.
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History of the series
Boston and Atlanta both have 5 wins in their last 10 games.
- November 12, 2024 – Atlanta 117 against. Boston 116
- November 4, 2024 – Boston 123 vs. Atlanta 93
- March 28, 2024 – Atlanta 123 vs. Boston 122
- March 25, 2024 – Atlanta 120 vs. Boston 118
- February 7, 2024 – Boston 125 vs. Atlanta 117
- November 26, 2023 – Boston 113 against. Atlanta 103
- April 27, 2023 – Boston 128 vs. Atlanta 120
- April 25, 2023 – Atlanta 119 against. Boston 117
- April 23, 2023 – Boston 129 vs. Atlanta 121
- April 21, 2023 – Atlanta 130 vs. Boston 122
