Celtics Wrap: Boston Staves Off Hawks Comeback Bid

The Boston Celtics outpaced the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night, leaving State Farm Arena with a 134-125 victory.

The C’s improved to 47-21, while the Hawks fell to 34-34.

Check out the full box score here.

ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
As the final score would indicate, there was some “NBA All-Star Game”-level defense displayed in this one.

The Celtics had a horrific time defending the paint, allowing Atlanta to hit 14 of 16 shots within six feet of the rim in the first quarter. The Hawks? Well, they just stink on defense. Boston did pretty much whatever it wanted and scored from all levels on their way to 69 first-half points.

As they are known to do, the Celtics let their intensity dwindle after building a lead and were never able to fully pull away. Sure, they led for the majority of the game but found themselves in a five-point game halfway through the fourth quarter before Jayson Tatum and Malcolm Brogdon bailed them out.

Though the Hawks continuously bullied their way into offensive rebounds, the two Celtics hit shot after shot down the stretch to stave off another ugly loss.

STARS OF THE GAME
— Tatum played free and easy, racking up 34 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and a block in the win.

— Brogdon was great off the bench. He finished with 16 points, four rebounds, five assists and a steal.

— Trae Young put together another great offensive performance for Atlanta, scoring 35 points and dishing out 13 assists.

WAGER WATCH
Tatum was given -140 odds by DraftKings Sportsbook to surpass 37.5 total points, rebounds and assists. The All-Star Game MVP hit his mark, netting $100 bettors a $171.43 payout.

UP NEXT
The Celtics will hit the second leg of their six-game road trip Monday when they take on the Houston Rockets. Tipoff from Toyota Center is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.