The Boston Celtics continue to roll up the East from behind. The eighth win in a row was once morest the Atlanta Hawks, with Jayson Tatum once once more dominating.
Boston Celtics (33-25) – Atlanta Hawks (26-30) 105:95 (BOXSCORE)
- What a furious second half by the Boston Celtics and what a performance by Jayson Tatum, who following a few weaker games with 38 points (13/27 FG, 4/10 trebles) and 10 rebounds led the hosts’ comeback following a weak first half . The forward scored 16 points in the third quarter alone, with the 23-year-old looking extremely determined, as this powerful foul drive once morest Onyeka Okongwu showed.
- Boston won the third leg 42-23, turning a 15-point deficit into a double-digit lead of their own. Boston’s defense had already kept the team in the game to some extent, following the change the throws were made from a distance, which smacked the ring in the first half. Previously, it was longtime newcomer Derrick White (14, 4/13, 5 assists) who hit the only triples for Boston.
- After the break, the Hawks only scored 40 points, and Trae Young (30, 9/26 FG, 8/8 FT, 10 assists) mightn’t turn things around in the fourth quarter. The playmaker lacked the best play partner in John Collins (strained foot), instead only De’Andre Hunter (10, 4/15) and the extremely strong sixth man Bogdan Bogdanovic (26, 9/20) scored in double figures.
- In the case of Boston, this was distributed somewhat more evenly. Jaylen Brown (17, 6/16, 8 rebounds) didn’t have a good evening, but Robert Williams (10, 14 rebounds) and Marcus Smart (13, 7 assists) convinced with strong individual defense. Daniel Theis was in the arena once more, but was unable to play due to a lack of documents following his trade from Houston. For the Celtics it was the eighth win in a row, temporarily the Celts are now pushing past the Raptors in sixth place in the Estern Conference.
Indiana Pacers (19-38) – Minnesota Timberwolves (29-27) -:- (BOXSCORE)