The 9-2 Boston Celtics opened up their NBA Cup, aiming for a three-game successful streak on Tuesday November twelfth, after they face the visiting 4-7 Atlanta Hawks.
The Hawks begin the NBA Cup with out main scorer Trae Younger on account of proper Achilles tendinitis, including to an already intensive damage checklist. Boston’s fifth house recreation of the common season, takes place on the coloured inexperienced house court docket of the NBA Cup.
Jaylen Brown opened the scoring for Boston with a three-pointer from the highest of the important thing. JB then added a layup and a free throw as he opened up the sport scoring Boston’s first 6 factors.
Boston struggled capturing the ball from lengthy vary, going simply 3-12 from three to open the sport. Jaylen Brown who performed all the first quarter paced the Celtics via the primary quarter with 16 factors. A late nook three from Sam Hauser noticed Boston take a slim lead 31-29. Boston struggled to comprise the dribble permitting Atlanta to attain 18 paint factors within the quarter.
Coach Mazzulla performed Tatum and Brown all the first quarter and so they each sat out the opening portion of the second quarter. To start out the second quarter the workforce appeared to Pritchard and White to maintain the scoreboard ticking. Each gamers hit three pointers in a stretch of play the place it appeared the teaching workers have been trialing some potential new lineup mixtures. Mazzulla had performed a complete of 10 gamers halfway via the second quarter.
With 5 minutes to go within the half, Boston began to ramp up the depth. An lively blocked shot by Queta acquired the group concerned. Boston began to make it’s three pointers late within the second quarter because the workforce made 6-13 threes. Al Horford scored his first two triples ending the half with 6 factors while Derrick White added 14 factors. White was concerned within the spotlight play of the half, with a wonderfully timed lob move to Jaylen Brown who sailed in from the wing for a two-handed rim rocker.
After an entertaining first half of NBA Cup basketball, Atlanta’s younger gamers would hold the sport inside hanging distance, as Boston led by 11 factors, 65-54. Atlanta’s physicality within the first half was highlighted by the truth that they out rebounded Boston 33-22, 11 of which have been offensive boards.
The third quarter wasn’t overly fairly to observe, Atlanta compelled a justifiable share of deflections as Dyson Daniels had 4 steals after three and Boston’s turnover depend was excessive with 14. Halfway via the third quarter Atlanta went on a 18-7 run as Boston’s largest lead of 15 factors began to evaporate. Atlanta outscored Boston behind Larry Nance’s scorching capturing who was 4-5 from three, with 16 factors after three quarters. Nance was actually a shock performer for Atlanta, after logging a DNP per week in the past, when these two workforce’s final met. The third quarter would finish at 91-84 for Boston.
It will be extra of the identical to start out the fourth as Atlanta battled again into the sport down simply 2 factors. An Onyeka Okongwu offensive rebound adopted up by a Jalen Johnson mid vary jumper noticed the scores tied for the tenth time of the sport on the seven minute mark.
Derrick White’s three level capturing stored Boston within the recreation within the fourth, as he would go on to attain a season excessive in factors with 31. To not be outdone, Jaylen Brown would additionally tally a season excessive in factors, including 37 of his personal. With scores tied at 108 apiece, Derrick White would step into a protracted three pointer because the Boston crowd lastly discovered it’s second half voice.
Jaylen Brown then appeared to complete off the Hawks with a 3 pointer of his personal and a fade away elbow jumper. However within the last seconds Atlanta got here up huge as Okongwu acquired a tip-in with 7 seconds to go within the recreation to seize the lead 117-116. Boston then handed the ball out of court docket, in what could be a twentieth workforce turnover. Jaylen Brown compelled one other turnover and Brown had an opportunity to win with a final second shot, but it surely rimmed large of the bucket.
Atlanta hustled and performed Boston robust all recreation. Atlanta completed the sport with 20 offensive Atlanta rebounds and Dyson Daniels compelled 6 steals scoring 28 factors. Jalen Johnson would additionally end the sport with a triple double for the Hawks.
The Boston Celtics subsequent Group C opponents within the NBA Cup shall be a giant take a look at for the workforce as they face the convention main Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday November nineteenth in recreation 2, of the match. The Chicago Bulls, and Washington Wizards spherical out 5 workforce Group C.