The C’s Get "A-Town Stomped" in Atlanta
The C’s Get "A-Town Stomped" in Atlanta
ATLANTA — If you’re a Celtics fan, Monday night felt less like a basketball game and more like watching a luxury sedan try to drive through a car wash with all the windows down. The Boston Celtics strolled into State Farm Arena. They promptly handed the ball over 15 times, eventually falling 112-102 to an Atlanta Hawks team that is apparently turning their home court into an impenetrable fortress.
That’s 13 straight home wins for the Hawks. At this point, the building should probably be designated as a hazardous site for visiting teams.
The "No Tatum, Mo' Problems" Factor
The Celtics were playing without Jayson Tatum, who was sidelined for "Achilles repair reconditioning," which is athlete-speak for "my leg needs a spa day." Also missing was Neemias Queta, leaving a giant-sized hole in the paint.
Jaylen Brown made his triumphant return, and by "triumphant," I mean he played with the chaotic energy of a man trying to catch a greased pig. He put up 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists, which looks great on a resume until you see the 9-of-29 shooting mark. It was a "volume" performance in the same way a jet engine is "loud"—eventually, something was bound to land, but there was a lot of noise before it happened.
The Third Quarter Meltdown
The first half was a lovely, polite affair with 10 ties and nine lead changes—basically a very tall version of "No, you go first." It was knotted at 54-all at the break.
Then the third quarter happened.
Boston must have thought the halftime snack was a mandatory nap, as they were outscored 36-22. The Hawks’ Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson (20 points apiece) treated the Celtics' defense like a revolving door at a busy mall. By the time the fourth quarter started, Boston was staring at a 14-point deficit that soon ballooned to 21.
A Wild Garza Appears!
In a night of "Oof," Luka Garza was a legitimate "Aha!" Filling in for Queta, Garza channeled his inner lumberjack, hacking out 20 points and 9 rebounds. If the Celtics had three more Garzas and about six fewer turnovers, we’d be talking about a win. Payton Pritchard also did his best to keep the lights on with 16 points, but even his four triples couldn't offset the team shooting a dismal 41% from the floor.
The Verdict
The season series ends in a 2-2 split, which is a polite way of saying both teams are equally capable of annoying one another.
Up Next: The Celtics head to South Beach on Wednesday to see if the Miami heat can melt away the memory of this Atlanta chill. Hopefully, they remember to bring their shooting touch and leave the 15 turnovers in the Georgia luggage claim.
