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The Boston Celtics vs Atlanta Hawks matchup is an intraconference game between two teams on opposite ends of the playoff race. The Celtics are at the top, not only of the East but the entire NBA, with their 57-14 record, while the Hawks are holding on to the final Play-in spot with 31-39.
As far as games go, tonight might not mean much for the Celtics, but that does not mean they're going to coast or play down to the competition. They've proven this by how they played in the first quarter, dropping 44 points while holding the struggling Hawks to 22.
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum immediately went to work in the game's opening frame, scoring 14 and 13, respectively. Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis added 10. On the other side, Dejounte Murray led the Hawks in scoring with six points.
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The second quarter was tighter in terms of scoring. Both teams matched each other bucket for a bucket as each side broke the 30-point threshold. The Hawks even outscored the Celtics 34-30 in the second quarter, but it was still not enough to catch up. Entering halftime, the score still looked bleak for the Hawks, 74-56.
Despite struggling to score with a 4-for-12 shooting clip (8 pts), Dejounte Murray was still helping the team on offense, dishing 10 assists in the first half alone. Meanwhile, Clint Capela and De'Andre Hunter carried the scoring load for Atlanta in the first half, scoring 14 and 12, respectively.
The first half belonged to the Boston Celtics but both teams stepped back onto the court looking different. The Atlanta Hawks turned things around in the third quarter, outscoring the best team in the East. By the time the third quarter concluded, the lead had been cut to six (96-90).
The fourth quarter turned into a slugfest as both teams started exchanging leads. By the two minute mark, the Celtics lead was hanging on by a flimsy thread (114-112). After some clutch buckets from the Hawks, they overtook the Celtics and with only 10 seconds left in the game, held a 116-120 lead.
Boston took a timeout but failed to get a score quickly as they missed two shots before Tatum finally sunk one to bring the score to 118-120. However, with just under two seconds left in the game, there was not enough time for them to get the ball back and score a game-winning or game-tying basket.
Boston Celtics vs Atlanta Hawks game player stats and box scores
Boston Celtics game stats
Atlanta Hawks game stats
Atlanta Hawks show a total team effort in unlikely comeback
Despite Jrue Holiday and Derrick White being listed as out in the Boston Celtics vs Atlanta Hawks contest, the Celtics were still favored to win. Things were trending in that direction early but as everyone knows, no team ever wins a game in the first quarter.
The Hawks began chipping away at the Celtics lead by displaying total team effort. By the end of the game, Atlanta had out-assisted the Celtics 30-21. This resulted in better looks for the Hawks who shot 52.9% from the field and 50.0% from downtown.
This resulted in six Hawks players scoring in double figures, led by De’Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic.
Despite a shaky shooting performance, Dejounte Murray was instrumental in the comeback win, grabbing three steals and dishing 15 assists.
The final Boston Celtics vs Atlanta Hawks game of this season will be on Thursday (Mar. 28).
