The Boston Celtics leaned on a breakout performance from Payton Pritchard and a gritty all-around effort from Jayson Tatum to hold off the Atlanta Hawks 109-102 on Friday night.
Pritchard erupted for 36 points off the bench, providing a major spark for Boston, while Tatum added 26 points and 12 rebounds despite an inefficient shooting night. The Celtics were without All-Star Jaylen Brown, sidelined with Achilles tendinitis, but still found enough firepower to secure the win.
Atlanta came in red-hot, having gone 15-2 since the All-Star break, and looked the part early. The Hawks jumped out to a 25-9 lead in the first quarter behind strong play from Jalen Johnson, who finished with 29 points. CJ McCollum added 21, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker chipped in 20, but Atlanta’s offense cooled significantly as the game wore on.
Boston flipped the momentum in the second quarter, catching fire from deep with seven consecutive 3-pointers. Despite the surge, the Hawks carried a 60-55 lead into halftime.
The game remained tight into the fourth quarter, but Boston’s defense and timely shot-making created separation. Tatum, who struggled from the field (10-for-24), delivered a key spinning drive that pushed the Celtics ahead 97-86 midway through the final period. He later sealed the game at the free-throw line, knocking down three clutch shots after being fouled on a 3-point attempt to extend the lead to 107-99 with under a minute remaining.
The loss snapped Atlanta’s three-game winning streak and marked just their second defeat in the last 16 games. The Hawks shot 39% from the field after their fast start.
Boston, meanwhile, improved to 7-1 this season without Brown, continuing to show depth as they chase the top of the Eastern Conference standings under head coach Joe Mazzulla.
Up next: the Hawks return home to host the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, while the Celtics hit the road to face the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday.
