Brown Scores 29, Celtics Maintain off Late Rally by Hawks 112-99

BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown had 29 factors and 12 rebounds, and the Boston Celtics capitalized on a woeful taking pictures efficiency by the Atlanta Hawks to carry on for 112-99 victory in Sport 1 of the Japanese Convention first-round matchup on Saturday.

Jayson Tatum scored 25 factors, 21 within the first half. Derrick White completed with 25 factors and 11 rebounds for Boston, which hosts Sport 2 on Tuesday.

The No. 2-seeded Celtics led by as many as 32 factors, pouncing on an Atlanta workforce that missed its first 10 3-point makes an attempt and shot 5 of 29 from past the arc for the sport.

Atlanta used a 32-12 run to chop the deficit to 96-84 on a three-point play by Bogdan Bogdanovic early within the fourth.

The Celtics bought the lead again as much as 107-87. It was 110-97 with lower than two minutes to play when Atlanta’s De’Andre Hunter bought free on quick break. However his layup try was blocked from behind by Marcus Good.

Dejounte Murray led the Hawks with 24 factors, eight rebounds and 6 assists. Trae Younger added 16 factors.

Regardless of Atlanta’s late push, the Celtics sizzled from all factors on the ground, connecting on 13 3 pointers.

After dropping in his third 3-pointer within the closing seconds of the primary half, Tatum unfold his arms out huge as he backed down the courtroom to an enormous ovation from the TD Backyard crowd.

An enormous a part of Boston’s recreation plan coming in was neutralizing Younger and Murray, Atlanta’s prime two scorers. The Celtics did that and much more within the first three quarters.

Younger, who was tenth within the NBA in scoring, missed his first six photographs past the arc and was 5 of 18 from the sector. Murray was 10 of 25 from the ground.

In a transfer to match Atlanta’s pace, Boston went small on the outset, White as an alternative of huge man Robert Williams in a lineup alongside Al Horford, Tatum, Brown and Good.

It appeared to neutralize the Hawks’ assault.

Younger had an particularly tough begin. He had a cross the primary possession of the sport stolen by Brown and had his first discipline objective try blocked by White on the best way to lacking his first six photographs.

Atlanta coach Quin Snyder mentioned earlier than the sport some extent of emphasis can be to not flip down open 3s or be deterred by misses.

That want was examined as Hawks shot 9 of 25 from the sector within the opening interval and 0 for 9 from past the arc because the Celtics took to a 29-19 lead.

With Younger struggling, Boston discovered a rhythm early within the second, beginning the quarter on a 25-10 run to extend their result in 25.

Hawks: Outscored the Celtics 31-20 within the third quarter. … Younger’s 28-footer early within the second quarter was Atlanta’s first made 3 of the sport. Atlanta shot 1 of 16 from 3 within the first half.

Celtics: It was Brown’s first recreation since lacking the ultimate two of the common season with a lower on a finger on his taking pictures hand. He performed with tape and wrap, but it surely didn’t appear to have an effect on him. … Outscored Hawks 45-25 in second quarter. …Tatum had 13 first-quarter factors. … The seats inside TD Backyard have been draped with T-shirts that learn “Unfinished Enterprise,” a reference to Boston’s run final season that got here up brief in its NBA Finals’ loss to Golden State. The “I” and “S” in unfinished have been each highlighted, with the “S” normal to appear like an “8,” a nod to the 18th championship being sought by the franchise. … A bunch of Boston sports activities stars sat courtside, together with New England Patriots workforce proprietor Robert Kraft, Bruins gamers David Pastrnak, Charlie McAvoy, Hampus Lindholm and Jake DeBrusk, and former Purple Sox star Dustin Pedroia.

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