Hawks vs. Celtics Game 2 NBA playoff odds, trends: Bettors backing Boston on double-digit spread, struggling Trae Young for at least 25 points

The Boston Celtics had little trouble sweeping the regular-season series with the Atlanta Hawks and easily dispatched them again in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series by a score of 112-99. Game 2 is on tap Tuesday night back in Boston with the Celtics as 10.5-point favorites at BetMGM and taking a strong lean there. Hawks All-Star point guard Trae Young is taking the most action among player props. Click here for model picks. 

The Celtics opened at -10.5, and the spread hasn't moved with 64% of the bets and 80% of the money on Boston. So far in these playoffs, the winning team is 10-0 against the spread. Since 2005, double-digit favorites in the NBA playoffs are 76-56-4 (58%) ATS. The total has bumped up a point to 229.5, and 68% of the bets and 57% of the money are on the Under.

Atlanta has no shot of evening the series Tuesday if Young doesn't play better than he did in Game 1. Constantly harassed by Marcus Smart and Derrick White, Young was held to 16 points on 5-for-18 shooting and was just 1-for-5 from deep. The Hawks, who had scored at least 100 points in their final 57 regular-season games (the longest active streak in the NBA) and had 116 in the play-in game win in Miami, were only 5-for-29 from deep and were outscored behind the arc by 24 points. In that play-in game, the Hawks obliterated the Heat on the boards 63-39, but Boston out-rebounded Atlanta 58-45.

Young averaged 26.2 points per game during the regular season and 31.0 PPG against Boston. Young's points total for Tuesday is set at 24.5, and the Over (priced at -110) is the most-wagered player prop at the book, followed by Boston's White Over 4.5 assists at +105 and Jayson Tatum Over 30.5 points at -110.

Young is just 8-for-49 from 3-point range in his last seven playoff games. That's the most attempts with the fewest makes in a seven-game span in playoff history. He's averaging 15.1 PPG in that stretch and is set at over/under 1.5 made 3-pointers Tuesday with the Over a -195 favorite.

White was a surprise starter over center Robert Williams in the opener, in part to help defend Young. It's not clear if Joe Mazzulla will keep that lineup tonight. White had seven assists. Tatum had 25 points on 10-for-23 shooting but with White (24 points) and Jaylen Brown (29 points) both scoring well, Tatum didn't have to force it. 

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