Hawks vs. Celtics Prediction, Odds, Players to Watch for NBA Summer League

Betting odds, pick and prediction for the Atlanta Hawks-Boston Celtics matchup in Summer League.

Hawks rookie Asa Newell has played pretty well in Summer League. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks close out their Summer League action on Sunday evening in Las Vegas.

Atlanta has yet to lose this summer, going 4-0, but it did not make the semifinals, falling into the consolation bracket. Sunday’s matchup should be a fun one, as the C’s are 3-1 in Summer League and have some interesting young players on their roster.

Sunday is the final day of Summer League action, so there are just three games to dive into and consider betting on.

Here’s a look at the odds, players to watch and my prediction for this clash between two Eastern Conference foes. 

Hawks vs. Celtics Odds, Spread and Total

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Spread

• Hawks -3.5 (-110)
• Celtics +3.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Hawks: -166
• Celtics: +140

Total

• 186.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Hawks vs. Celtics How to Watch

• Date: Sunday, July 20
• Time: 6:00 p.m. EST
• Venue: Thomas & Mack Center
• How to Watch (TV): ESPNU
• Hawks record: 4-0
• Celtics record: 3-1

Hawks vs. Celtics Key Players to Watch

Atlanta Hawks

• Jack McVeigh

This may come as a surprise for a player to watch, but McVeigh is trying to crack a roster or earn a two-way deal after spending the 2024-25 season on a two-way contract with the Houston Rockets.

He had a huge game in Atlanta’s win over the Memphis Grizzlies, scoring 20 points off the bench while shooting 7-for-11 from the field. Since the Hawks aren’t competing for a Summer League title, they may give a few fringe roster guys some more minutes on Sunday to preserve the health of potential rotation players like Kobe Bufkin and Asa Newell. 

Boston Celtics

• Baylor Scheierman

It hasn’t been a great summer for 2024 first-round pick Baylor Scheierman, and he had a low point in Boston’s win over the Los Angeles Lakers, shooting 2-for-14 from the field. 

If Boston decides to cut more salary before the start of the season and move a player like Sam Hauser, Scheierman could be in line for an expanded role. But, he has not shown this summer that he’s ready for that challenge, despite flashing some intriguing ability at times late in the 2024-25 season. 

Hawks vs. Celtics Prediction and Pick

Note: Before betting on NBA Summer League, it’s important to know that rotations are fluid and predicting player performance is volatile. As an avid NBA bettor, I suggest only placing small wagers for fun on these games since they are often hard to predict.

I’m going to bet on Atlanta remaining perfect in Summer League on Sunday, as it has much more talent if both of these teams decide to run out their full rosters.

Boston does have its last two first-round picks in Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez, but neither had put together a standout performance at Summer League.

Meanwhile, the Hawks have gotten some big games from Bufkin and Newell, and they have a lot of NBA experience with McVeigh, Adam Flagler, Jacob Toppin and Josh Christopher on the roster.

It’s unclear how these teams will handle their rotations on Sunday, but Atlanta has answered every test thrown its way this summer.

I’ll back the Hawks to win again and finish 5-0. 

Pick: Hawks Moneyline (-166 at DraftKings)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

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