Banner Town Breakdown: Just When You Think it Can’t Get Any Worse…
Courtesy ESPN
I was almost certain I’d seen the worst Celtics game of the year last week, but it looks like they topped themselves again! They dropped yet another game, this time to Atlanta 127-112.
The Celtics headed to Atlanta on Wednesday night desperately in need of a win. They had dropped their last two games in pretty embarrassing fashion, losing a 24-point lead to New Orleans and then not playing hard until it was too late in Dallas.
Atlanta came out of the gates raining down threes on the Celtics. They made three of their first four to open up an early 13-9 lead over the C’s. Boston battled back with back to back baskets from Jayson Tatum and Tristan Thompson. They found themselves down 15-13 at the first TV timeout. Trae Young wasted no time after the break. He scored the next thirteen points for the Hawks to put them up 28-18.
Jaylen Brown had enough of the Atlanta run. He dished out two pretty assists in a row, one for a Timelord alley-oop jam and another behind the back to Semi Ojeleye for an and-1.
On the following possession he decided to take things into his own hands and got himself a nice layup. After a Young miss, the C’s ran the break and Carsen Edwards finished things off to bring them back within three. Atlanta ripped of a quick 10-0 run after Danilo Gallinari checked into the game and hit two threes back to back for the Hawks. The Celtics found themselves down 40-27 at the end of the quarter.
The Hawks picked up right where they left off in the first, Gallinari drilled another three off an assist from old friend Rajon Rondo. The next time down the floor, Rondo found Clint Capella in the paint who then drew a foul. After the free throws, Boston turned it over and Atlanta got two more to balloon their lead to 20. The Celtics took a much needed timeout after that bucket. Gallinari wasted no time and buried yet another three. Finally, Aaron Nesmith broke the drought for Boston, making a tough layup. A few trips down the floor later, the Hawks turned it over again and Payton Pritchard converted an and-1 in transition. Gallinari continued to not miss, making another set of back to back threes. And then just to kick the Celtics when they’re down, he hit another one, now 9-9 from the field (7-7 from three).
Boston continued to get absolutely steamrolled and found themselves down 72-49 at the half.
Both teams came out ice cold in the second half. They combined for 1-10 field goals in the first few minutes of the third quarter. The C’s made a decent effort, strung a few baskets together and cut the lead to 17. All that work was erased in two possessions when the Hawks put down another couple of threes. The Celtics responded with another quick 5-0 run before an Atlanta timeout. The two teams exchanged blows for a minute then Gallinari came and dropped another three.
They continued their game of back and forth, exchanging runs throughout the quarter. The Celtics trailed heading into the fourth 99-78.
The Hawks came out in the fourth quarter on a mission. They continued to score almost at will and the C’s really couldn’t do anything about it. If you’re really wondering how things went, just imagine what you’d hope the Celtics would do when they have a lead. That’s what Atlanta did. With 7:45 left in the game, Boston emptied the bench and waved the white flag, which they’d already been doing all game. Celtics lose 127-112.
