An evening after trying just like the Celtics of final 12 months, Boston regressed in a 119-115 time beyond regulation loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday at TD Backyard.
The Celtics (29-13) watched a 10-point fourth-quarter lead slip away, as Trae Younger (28 factors, 11 assists) orchestrated a livid comeback for Atlanta. The Hawks (22-19) stole one, as Boston squandered a recreation it ought to have gained.
5 Celtics gamers scored double figures, led by Jaylen Brown with 24 and Jayson Tatum with 23.
Derrick White tied it at 100 on two free throws with 52.3 seconds left in regulation, following an unsuccessful problem from Hawks coach Quin Snyder. De’Andre Hunter missed a 3-pointer, Neemias Queta corralled the rebound and Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla known as timeout.
Brown buried a silky step-back to make it 102-100 with 28.7 seconds left, then the Celtics pressured the Hawks right into a pricey turnover. Younger picked up a technical foul with 20.8 left to push it to 3 factors, then a Celtics missed free throw, turnover and ill-advised Jrue Vacation foul up two resulted in a 104-104 tie with 3.5 seconds left.
Tatum missed an off-balance two as time expired, sending the sport into time beyond regulation.
After a short brouhaha to start out time beyond regulation, Tatum trimmed the deficit to 1 on a runner within the remaining minute. Down one with 12.5 seconds left, the Celtics couldn’t corral a rebound off a Jalen Johnson missed free throw. Tatum missed one other shot within the remaining seconds, and that was that.
The Celtics jumped out to an early 14-6 lead and prolonged the margin to 33-21 by 1. Brown scored seven of Boston’s first 10 factors, attacking the rim frequently and discovering his teammates for uncontested layups.
A kind of teammates, Luke Kornet, crammed in admirably with Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford sidelined. Kornet was affected person on the rim, energetic defensively and persistently made life simpler for Brown and Co.
Kornet, who completed the half with 12 factors, 6 rebounds, 4 steals and a couple of blocks (it’s true), helped the Celtics seize command early. Payton Pritchard (20 factors) electrified the group with a collection of filthy dribble strikes and a jumper to focus on a powerful all-around quarter.
Atlanta didn’t hit a 3-pointer within the first quarter, Younger scored simply two factors and the Hawks turned it over six occasions in comparison with one for the Celtics. It was all Boston early, because the Celtics carried the momentum they constructed the night time prior into this one.
Within the second quarter, although, the Hawks discovered a rhythm and caught hearth from distance. Onyeka Okongwu and Hunter helped Atlanta construct a 52-48 halftime edge because of a decisive, 31-15, second quarter.
The Celtics went frigid from the sector, taking pictures simply 35.3 p.c from the sector and 21.7 p.c from 3-point vary within the half. Tatum was 2 of 9 for 5 factors, and Jrue Vacation was the one Celtic to shoot higher than 33 p.c from 3.
Regardless of the poor second quarter, the Celtics discovered themselves nicely inside putting distance heading into the third.
The Hawks prolonged the margin to 9, then a White 3 and layup capped a 12-2 run to vault the Celtics again forward, 67-66, with 4:43 left within the third.
Tatum got here alive, scoring 14 third-quarter factors and steering the Celtics to a 78-73 edge heading to the fourth. They managed to maintain momentum regardless of a bricked dunk try from Sam Hauser late within the third.
With Pritchard main the way in which, the Celtics pushed the margin to 85-75 with 10 minutes left. Atlanta stormed again to tie it at 87 earlier than Pritchard answered once more with back-to-back deep 3-pointers.
Nothing will get the Backyard crowd going fairly like a Pritchard 3. His well timed pictures Saturday night time introduced life into the world.
The groups traded buckets, then Vacation fouled Younger and gave the Hawks life to yield time beyond regulation. The Hawks did simply sufficient to ship the Celtics to their fourth loss within the final seven video games.
