The Atlanta Hawks overcame a 13-point Boston Celtics lead in Game 5, grabbing a 119-117 and sending the series back to Georgia. Boston will now need to wait until at least Thursday to punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Semifinals and a chance at Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Boston was riding high for most of the game, and Jaylen Brown in particular was quite good for the Celtics. After 23 first half points, Brown finished the game with 35 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Unfortunately, he and the Celtics unraveled a bit in the fourth quarter. Atlanta outscored Boston 37-25 in the final frame, punctuated by a deep 3-point shot from Trae Young in the final moments of the game.
The Celtics still have two chances to grab a win and advance to the next round of the postseason. Losing tonight doesn’t necessarily change the team’s path forward, but does delay the next chapter. Here’s what you may have missed from Boston’s 119-117 Game 5 loss to Atlanta.
Last year’s anguish is now this season’s fuel. https://t.co/h6e2Max13w
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 25, 2023
Boston's offense
Jaylen Brown was the straw that stirred the drink for the Celtics. He was particularly keen to attack the interior, usually with great effect. No individual defender had much of an answer for Brown, and although Boston was didn’t shoot particularly well from deep, there was enough floor spacing to keep Atlanta’s bigs from offering much resistance at the dish.
Brown wasn’t the only Celtic to feast at the rim. Atlanta had limited defensive mojo in the painted area, and the entire home team took notice. Boston was especially eager to up the tempo as a result, and had 24 fast break points on the night.
Atlanta was able to stick around, however, in part because Boston shot only 31.6 from deep. The Hawks, for their part, went 46.3% from 3, allowing the team to keep pace with the Celtics. In the fourth, Boston’s inability to hit a shot really came into focus. A 7-for-13 performance from the free throw line certainly didn’t help either.
The NBA has been undergoing something of an offensive renaissance this season, with a ton of 50-point games, including Tatum’s. https://t.co/TaiHVbkERB
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 25, 2023
Boston's defense
The Hawks had limited offensive firepower in Game 5, especially with Dejounte Murray suspended following an altercation with a game official over the weekend. Boston was happy to sit back on defense and decisively secure the paint given Atlanta’s limitations. This worked for much of the game. Al Horford alone logged 5 blocks for the game, and the Celtics won the rebounding battle 43 to 34.
This defensive trap began to falter, however. As the Hawks continued to pour on 3-pointers, they also found new paths to the rim. Whether it was tired legs or waning focus, Boston’s defensive bark lost a lot of its bite in crunch time.
Atlanta’s Trae Young ended the night with 38 points and 14 assists. And although he shot a mediocre 14-for-33, he was especially effective in the fourth. Boston’s defensive gambles in Game 5 didn’t pan out.
The former Rookie of the Year has been nothing short of amazing with the Celtics this season, and could very well be the final step Boston needed to win it all. https://t.co/V6OoXBhZq3
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 25, 2023
Looking ahead
Game 6 in this series will be Thursday in Atlanta. (At the time of this writing, the exact time is unknown.) Boston will have a chance to finally move past the pesky Hawks with a win. Game 7 will be held in Boston on Saturday if necessary.
This sort of choke job can be beneficial. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has spoken often about using adversity to grow. Still, certainly the team and its fans would have preferred to hold on to the lead and walked away with a win. There’s no bonus points for taking the long way round.
Joe Mazzulla spoke about Ime Udoka becoming the head coach of the Houston Rockets and explained why he values forgiveness and second chances in life. https://t.co/58ALHezr0N
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 25, 2023
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