Young Atlanta Hawks surprise, defeat Boston Celtics 117-116

The 9-2 Boston Celtics opened up their NBA Cup, aiming for a three-game profitable streak on Tuesday November twelfth, after they face the visiting 4-7 Atlanta Hawks.

The Hawks begin the NBA Cup with out main scorer Trae Younger as a consequence of proper Achilles tendinitis, including to an already intensive damage checklist. Boston’s fifth house sport of the common season, takes place on the coloured inexperienced house court docket of the NBA Cup.

Jaylen Brown opened the scoring for Boston with a three-pointer from the highest of the important thing. JB then added a layup and a free throw as he opened up the sport scoring Boston’s first 6 factors.

Boston struggled taking pictures the ball from lengthy vary, going simply 3-12 from three to open the sport. Jaylen Brown who performed all the first quarter paced the Celtics by the primary quarter with 16 factors. A late nook three from Sam Hauser noticed Boston take a slender lead 31-29. Boston struggled to comprise the dribble permitting Atlanta to attain 18 paint factors within the quarter.

Coach Mazzulla performed Tatum and Brown all the first quarter they usually each sat out the opening portion of the second quarter. To begin the second quarter the workforce seemed to Pritchard and White to maintain the scoreboard ticking. Each gamers hit three pointers in a stretch of play the place it appeared the teaching employees had been trialing some doable new lineup combos. Mazzulla had performed a complete of 10 gamers halfway by the second quarter.

With 5 minutes to go within the half, Boston began to ramp up the depth. An lively blocked shot by Queta received the gang concerned. Boston began to make it’s three pointers late within the second quarter because the workforce made 6-13 threes. Al Horford scored his first two triples ending the half with 6 factors while Derrick White added 14 factors. White was concerned within the spotlight play of the half, with a superbly timed lob go to Jaylen Brown who sailed in from the wing for a two-handed rim rocker.

David Butler II-Imagn Photos

After an entertaining first half of NBA Cup basketball, Atlanta’s younger gamers would maintain the sport inside putting distance, as Boston led by 11 factors, 65-54. Atlanta’s physicality within the first half was highlighted by the truth that they out rebounded Boston 33-22, 11 of which had been offensive boards.

The third quarter wasn’t overly fairly to look at, Atlanta pressured a justifiable share of deflections as Dyson Daniels had 4 steals after three and Boston’s turnover rely was excessive with 14. Halfway by the third quarter Atlanta went on a 18-7 run as Boston’s largest lead of 15 factors began to evaporate. Atlanta outscored Boston behind Larry Nance’s sizzling taking pictures who was 4-5 from three, with 16 factors after three quarters. Nance was definitely a shock performer for Atlanta, after logging a DNP every week in the past, when these two workforce’s final met. The third quarter would finish at 91-84 for Boston.

It might be extra of the identical to start out the fourth as Atlanta battled again into the sport down simply 2 factors. An Onyeka Okongwu offensive rebound adopted up by a Jalen Johnson mid vary jumper noticed the scores tied for the tenth time of the sport on the seven minute mark.

Derrick White’s three level taking pictures stored Boston within the sport within the fourth, as he would go on to attain a season excessive in factors with 31. To not be outdone, Jaylen Brown would additionally tally a season excessive in factors, including 37 of his personal. With scores tied at 108 apiece, Derrick White would step into a protracted three pointer because the Boston crowd lastly discovered it’s second half voice.

Jaylen Brown then seemed to complete off the Hawks with a 3 pointer of his personal and a fade away elbow jumper. However within the ultimate seconds Atlanta got here up huge as Okongwu received a tip-in with 7 seconds to go within the sport to seize the lead 117-116. Boston then handed the ball out of court docket, in what could be a twentieth workforce turnover. Jaylen Brown pressured one other turnover and Brown had an opportunity to win with a final second shot, nevertheless it rimmed broad of the bucket.

David Butler II-Imagn Photos

Atlanta hustled and performed Boston powerful all sport. Atlanta completed the sport with 20 offensive Atlanta rebounds and Dyson Daniels pressured 6 steals scoring 28 factors. Jalen Johnson would additionally end the sport with a triple double for the Hawks.

The Boston Celtics subsequent Group C opponents within the NBA Cup will probably be an enormous check for the workforce as they face the convention main Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday November nineteenth in sport 2, of the match. The Chicago Bulls, and Washington Wizards spherical out 5 workforce Group C.