The Boston Celtics couldn’t keep up with the Atlanta Hawks Friday night, losing Game 3 of the opening round 130-122. With strong performances by Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart, Boston ran neck and neck with Atlanta all evening long, but in the end, the Hawks were just a little bit better.
Atlanta set the tempo early, specifically by pushing the pace and keeping Boston out of rhythm. The Hawks really pressured the rim, challenging the Celtics to play much of the game on their heels. This high-octane gamble by the home team paid off, and despite 18 Atlanta turnovers, Boston couldn’t fully assert control.
Trae Young scored 15 in the fourth period alone, ending the game with 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 9 assists. Across the board, the Hawks were aggressive, dictating the terms of engagement well into the fourth. Boston had a few valiant possessions down the stretch, but Young and the Hawks always had an answer. Here’s what you may have missed from a 130-122 Game 3 Celtics loss.
Boston’s Jaylen Brown sports custom sneakers paying homage to Mesoamerican ball game https://t.co/t8GX9nTrw9
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 21, 2023
Boston's offense
A massive feather in Boston’s cap was 3-point shooting. While the team logged 31 assists, the club’s 21-for-48 performance from deep was perhaps the biggest thing that kept the Celtics afloat.
That said, Boston’s offense was a bit confusing at times. The Celtics seemed intent on getting out in transition, but with mixed results. A slower approach was usually more fruitful, but Tatum and Jaylen Brown were not the dynamos that usually power Celtics wins, limiting Boston’s ability to get fully into gear.
Grant Williams deserves special praise on the night. He saw his first action of the postseason in Game 3 and certainly rose to the occasion. Williams finished with 14 points in reserve, a good reminder for how deep this Celtics club is.
Malcolm Brogdon on joining the Boston Celtics as a hopeful ‘missing piece’ for an NBA title https://t.co/iZBzuf0pyJ
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 21, 2023
Boston's defense
Defense, or lack thereof, was the major theme for the night. Boston surrendered 74 points in the first half, the highest number in postseason history for the franchise, a revealing stat for how the evening went. (The Celtics also hit 15 3-pointers in the first half, also a record for the team.)
The Hawks were particularly good in the paint. After generally being out-muscled at the rim for the first two games of the series, Atlanta was quite successful at forcing the issue down low. Boston’s ineffective drop defense not only abetted this approach for the Hawks, but also allowed Atlanta’s shooters to get hot.
On the other side of the action, the Celtics didn’t quite seem comfortable on offense. Certainly they struggled to bend Atlanta’s defense to their will they way they did in the first two tilts. The Hawks were probably the more effective team on the defensive end in Game 3.
Celtics Lab 182: On Derrick White’s rise, Trae Young’s troubles, and what we can learn from the Hawks series with Max Lederman https://t.co/6pui73IyXG
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 19, 2023
Looking ahead
The next game of the series is this Sunday at 1pm in Atlanta. From there, the action heads back to Boston Tuesday night for Game 5.
The Celtics could have easily won this one, despite the club’s flawed approach. A few more stops down the stretch would have sealed the deal, and this is about as good as one could reasonably expect Atlanta to play.
Still, this is the postseason. Errors and missteps are amplified. Boston has a few screws to tighten if they want to avoid a similar outcome Sunday afternoon.
Isiah Thomas on how Larry Bird and Magic Johnson helped save the NBA https://t.co/hmgvDNeKaI
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 21, 2023
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