Atlanta Hawks @ Washington Wizards
The Wizards should respond to two successive defeats to the Hawks with a strong showing on their own court.
Washington took the opening pair of games in this series at home, and their regular-season record of 30 wins and 11 defeats at Verizon Center bodes well for their chances here.
The Wizards have won four straight games in Washington against Atlanta, and are good value at to make it five.
The Hawks have, however, led at half time in four of the last five games between these two teams, so backing them to do the same again at is a smart choice.
Given that the Wizards are yet to beat Atlanta by more than eight points in the playoffs, so the handicap line of Atlanta +8 at is a good bet.
Chicago Bulls @ Boston Celtics
The Celtics are now justifying their place as the East’s top seed, responding to back-to-back home defeats with two successive wins on the road.
The Celtics’ regular-season home record of 30 wins and 11 defeats was the second-best in their conference, and they beat Chicago in each of their two home meetings before the playoffs.
Rajon Rondo was a huge part of Chicago’s success in Games 1 and 2, but has missed the last two with a hand injury and will be limited even if he returns to the line-up on Wednesday night.
The hosts are therefore a very safe bet at to take control of the series in Boston.
Given that all four of their wins over the Bulls this season were by at least seven points, It’s also worth backing the point spread of Boston -7.5 at .
Toronto Raptors @ Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks are on the verge of elimination after losing two consecutive games, and it’s hard to see them bouncing back.
The Raptors were the superior team in the regular season, beating Milwaukee three times out of four and finishing nine wins ahead, and have now started to show that same form in the postseason after a slow start.
They won Game 4 in Milwaukee by 11 points, and followed that up with a 25-point victory in Toronto.
Playing at home is not much of an advantage for the Bucks, given that their 23-18 record on their own court matches the Raptors’ away record exactly.
Toronto are simply the better team, and are a nice price as underdogs.
