Three Studs, Three Duds As Celtics Begin NBA Cup Run With Loss To Hawks

BOSTON — The Celtics returned for regular-season tournament action by commencing their Emirates NBA Cup campaign against the Hawks.

Atlanta, severely hampered with injuries as Trae Young, De’Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic, among three others, were all sidelined on Tuesday night. Needless to say, the (mostly) healthy Celtics were granted an inadvertent advantage over the struggling Hawks. Before tip-off, Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla even revealed that co-stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown would not be working on a minutes restriction.

Ultimately, a valiant effort at competing while dealt an unfavorable hand was just enough for the Hawks to overcome the reigning champs.

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Here are three studs and three duds after Boston’s 117-116 loss to Atlanta:

STUDS
Jaylen Brown
Nobody began the night as determined as Brown was, finishing the first quarter with 16 points on 14-of-22 shooting to ensure Boston wouldn’t allow Atlanta to feel too comfortable. The 28-year-old ended with a game-leading 37 points to go along with four rebounds and three assists. Brown’s importance grew increasingly as Atlanta subdued the threat of Boston’s bench throughout the night.

Derrick White
Efficiency wasn’t Boston’s strong suit, however, White helped alleviate the offensive struggles that opened the door for Atlanta to soar a mere inches behind the Celtics, even with its damaged wings. White provided 31 points and shot a much-needed 7-for-12 from 3-point territory to keep Boston from crumbling.

Dyson Daniels
Atlanta head coach Quin Synder wasn’t gonna give Boston a run for its money without an X-factor and Daniels emerged as that crucial variable. Daniels provided a team-high 28 for the Hawks, shooting 12-of-21 from the field and making up for a 1-for-5 showing from three, giving the Celtics some untimely second-half problems. Daniels also racked up seven assists and six steals in 40 minutes.

DUDS
Boston’s first-half outside shooting
Mazzulla-ball is a two-sided coin and the Celtics felt the brunt of its sour side. In the first half, Boston couldn’t put together any momentum from beyond the arc, walking into halftime shooting an ineffective 9-of-25 (36%) from three. The ice-cold hand made it difficult for players such as Payton Pritchard and Jrue Holiday — who combined for nine points at the half — to get going offensively.

Turnovers — on both sides
It would take a glance worth of the opening minutes to the third quarter to get a grasp of the theme that allowed the Hawks to compete — with an asterisk — with Boston’s title-favorite team. Atlanta and the Celtics didn’t offer viewers the sharpest display of ball-handing or facilitating. Boston (20) and Atlanta (16) combined for 36 turnovers.

Boston’s entire reserve unit
Pritchard and Sam Hauser are typically the ready-to-go pair, always equipped to maintain the scoring load whenever Mazzulla gives Boston’s starters resting minutes on the bench. But neither Pritchard nor Hauser got going as they both combined for 12 points, leaving it up to the starters to put Atlanta’s clawing bid to rest.

Pritchard went 2-for-8 from the field while Hauser attempted only three shots, accounting for all the scoring to come from Boston’s bench.