The Hawks never really had a chance to beat the defending Eastern Conference-champion Celtics in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, but Atlanta star guard Dejounte Murray might have helped expedite things with his antics immediately following Game 4.
After the final buzzer in Atlanta, a seething Murray got right in referee Gediminas Petraitis's face, bumped him, and appeared to yell something in his ear. The sixth-year guard then walked off the floor as Petraitis stared at him, the ref's facial expression appearing to say
"you'll regret that."
Now that Murray has been suspended for tonight's game, which could and probably will be Atlanta's final game of the 2022-23 campaign, he probably does regret his moment of adolescent rage. He's leaving his already-reeling Hawks with a 3-1 deficit going into the lion's den that is TD Garden, and BetMGM now lists Boston as a -1000 favorite to close things out 4-1. If you're wondering what that translates to in terms of win probability, it's over 90 percent.
Long story short, we recommended in our Game 5 betting preview that bettors stay far away from tonight's traditional spread and moneyline. Your best bet for value/profit is to attack the prop market. Below, we will discuss our five favorite BetMGM props for Celtics-Hawks in the wake of the Murray suspension.
MORE ODDS: Spreads, moneylines, props, parlays — get it all with BetMGM!
Best Celtics-Hawks Game 5 prop bets in the wake of Dejounte Murray's suspension
All odds are from BetMGM.
Jaylen Brown OVER 35.5 points + assists + rebounds (-115)
With JB finally healed from his facial fracture, the star guard was able to shed his haunting mask ahead of Game 4. What a difference the unobstructed vision and breathing proved to be! Brown poured in 31 points, grabbed four rebounds, and added three assists in a nearly 43-minute, full-throttle assault of the Hawks. He's now averaging 30 points + rebounds + assists per game in the series, and that's despite two relatively down offensive performances in Games 2 and 3.
Now the two-time All-Star gets to go home in front of the TD Garden faithful and pick up where he left off in Game 4, but with one key advantage: no Dejounte Murray playing perimeter D for the other side. Murray had been Brown's main defender through the first four games of the series, which yielded mostly positive results for Atlanta. Nobody was stopping JB in Game 4, and now that Murray's out, the Hawks could be in for a stomping of epic proportions at the hands of No. 7.
Jayson Tatum OVER 34.5 points + assists (-120)
Murray's absence not only means Brown could be in for a points explosion, it also means the floor could be spaced even more for Tatum. Both stars dropped 31 in Game 4, and JT has showcased his ever-improving prowess as a playmaker with 15 assists over the past three games. The most revered players in the NBA all regularly create for others, a fact that's clearly not lost on the Celtics superstar. So, if Brown is on again, Tatum will feed him. If Brown falters or draws double-teams, Tatum will score. You get the best of both worlds with this prop, and we have the utmost confidence in the OVER. Tatum has logged 35-plus points + assists in three of Boston's past six postseason closeout games.
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Trae Young OVER 27.5 points (-125)
Of course, Atlanta's main benefactor in the Murray suspension is Young, who has often been seen lurking in the shadows during Murray's recent offensive explosions. Look for Ice Trae to enjoy being back on center stage tonight, win or lose. He may not be the pinnacle of efficiency, but he's damn well gonna go out swinging, or rather launching a ton of shots. Around 30 points seems like a baseline for tonight's game. The Hawks need to make up for losing Murray's 25 ppg, and nobody else on this team has ever really stepped up big in a playoff elimination game.
De'Andre Hunter OVER 1.5 three-pointers (-120)
We like what we're seeing out of Hunter as of late. He has very quietly posted seven triples over this four-game series and will now be asked to up his game as Atlanta's bona fide No. 2 scorer. The Celtics have focused on cutting down driving lanes and containing the interior, so don't be surprised if Hunter drops multiple treys for the third time in five games.
Robert Williams to record a double-double (+350)
Williams went off in Game 4, grabbing 15 boards and dropping in 13 points. Mazzulla and the Celts unleashed Time Lord on the post, wreaking havoc as a rim protector and board-crasher on one end and supplying a handful of easy scores near the hoop as the recipient of drive-and-dishes from Tatum, Brown, Marcus Smart, and Malcolm Brogdon. Expect Boston to strike that chord again tonight, as Williams finally looks to be ramping back to his 2022 postseason form.
Robert Williams III has been huge for the Cs vs ATL. He has been a force on the interior both offensively & defensively! Offensively great at positioning himself, being physical & then finishing these plays. Defensively he’s holding down the interior & making plays happen. pic.twitter.com/D8FVbPT70i
— Just Hoops Basketball (@JustHoops5) April 25, 2023
