Celtics shoot lights out in win over Hawks

Jayson Tatum’s 34-point, 15-rebound performance helped the Boston Celtics begin a six-game road trip with an 134-125 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night, March 11 (Sunday, March 12, Manila time).

Tatum had five of Boston’s 20 three-point field goals in the win. The Celtics, who led 101-89 after three quarters, were 20-of-42 from behind the arc.

The Hawks were within 5 points following a Trae Young jumper with 3:57 left, but Boston used a 5-0 spurt to take a 124-114 lead with 3:10 remaining. Atlanta failed to get closer than 6 points the rest of the way.

Young made 12-of-27 field goals and led all scorers with 35 points. He added 13 assists.

Jaylen Brown had 24 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds for Boston, which received 18 points from both Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon.

Saddiq Bey (17) and De’Andre Hunter (16) were Atlanta’s other top scorers. Clint Capela and John Collins each had a team-high 9 rebounds for the Hawks.

Boston guard Marcus Smart was ejected following an altercation with Young with 1:25 to play. Smart had 11 points and 6 assists in 36 minutes.

The Hawks had a 38-37 lead after a back-and-forth first quarter, but the Celtics scored 20 of the first 24 points in the second quarter and led 57-42 following an Al Horford basket with 6:30 remaining in the quarter.

Boston had its largest lead of the first half after Brown scored to make it a 60-44 game with 5:41 remaining in the second quarter. The Celtics made 12-of-24 three-point attempts in the first half and led 71-61 at halftime.

Young had 17 points and 11 assists in the half.

It was the second of three meetings between the teams. The Celtics beat the Hawks, 126-121, in Atlanta on November 16. The teams will also face each other on April 9, the final day of the regular season. – Rappler.com