Payton Pritchard Leads Celtics to Victory Over Dominant Hawks Without Jaylen Brown
The Boston Celtics beat the Atlanta Hawks 109-102 Friday night at TD Garden. Jaylen Brown did not play because of Achilles tendonitis.
Pritchard’s big night
Payton Pritchard scored 36 points on 13-of-23 shooting. He hit 6-of-11 from long range and played 35 minutes off the bench.
Pritchard also had five turnovers. He grabbed two critical offensive rebounds in the closing minutes. His plus-26 was the best on either team.
Payton Pritchard Leads Celtics to Victory Over Dominant Hawks Without Jaylen Brown
The guard’s scoring and timely rebounds fueled Boston’s comeback from a 16-point deficit. Coach Joe Mazzulla praised his all-around impact.
Tatum’s workload and form
Jayson Tatum finished with 26 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. He shot 8-for-24 overall and 2-for-8 from three.
Tatum played 37 minutes, his most since returning from Achilles surgery on March 6. He logged the entire fourth quarter for the second straight game.
Game flow and bench contributions
Atlanta opened hot from deep, starting 5-for-7 from three. Boston fell into a 25-9 hole early in the game.
A timeout sparked a 17-4 run to close the first quarter. The Celtics’ bench, including Luka Garza and Hugo Gonzalez, added key minutes.
Jordan Walsh entered the lineup and played 27 minutes. He blocked three shots, grabbed two offensive boards, and made his only three-point attempt.
Key statistics and context
Boston dominated the glass, out-rebounding Atlanta 52-35. The Celtics had a poor turnover differential, committing 16 turnovers to Atlanta’s four.
Boston improved to 49-24 and extended a one-game lead over the New York Knicks for second place in the Eastern Conference. Nine regular-season games remain.
The Hawks came in having won 14 of 15. They ranked sixth in three-point percentage and seventh in made threes per game.
Closing stretch and next steps
The Celtics failed to make a field goal in the final six-plus minutes of regulation. Offensive rebounds and free throws preserved the win.
Brown’s status is day-to-day, according to Mazzulla. Boston visits Charlotte on Sunday and returns to Atlanta on Monday.
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