Hawks Win Play-In Game vs. Heat, Will Face the Celtics in the First Round

The Celtics and Hawks' first-round series starts Saturday at TD Garden.

Bobby Krivitsky | Apr 11, 2023

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

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The Atlanta Hawks are moving on to a first-round playoff matchup against the Boston Celtics.

The Miami Heat were the popular pick to win Tuesday's tilt in South Beach, but the visitors built a 24-point lead and had an answer every time the momentum started shifting, including after a Kyle Lowry three narrowed the gap to 97-91 with 7:42 left.

The Heat had difficulty keeping up with the Hawks' up-tempo approach, and Atlanta's crashing the glass and fighting for offensive rebounds led to 22 offensive rebounds and a 26-6 advantage in second-chance points in their 116-105 victory.

Trae Young registered 25 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists in the win. Backcourt mate Dejounte Murray contributed 18 points, dished out six dimes, and grabbed five boards.

Miami scored the game's first basket and did not lead again.

So, while the Heat are on to a winner-take-all play-in game against whoever comes out on top between the Raptors and Bulls Wednesday night in Toronto, the Hawks are headed to Boston.

The Celtics swept the season series 3-0. That includes two wins after Quin Snyder replaced Nate McMillan. Granted, one of those was Sunday's regular-season finale in which Boston earned a 120-114 victory in a matchup where both sides rested the majority of their top-rotation players.

The Celtics and Hawks' first-round matchup starts Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET at TD Garden.

Further Reading

The Celtics Are Pushing Robert Williams to Take His Offense to the Next Level

Joe Mazzulla Provides Injury Updates on Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart

Al Horford Thinks Celtics Need to Improve on Defense for Playoffs

Joe Mazzulla and Brad Stevens Discuss How the Celtics' Head Coach Has Grown in His First Year at the Helm: 'He's Been a Great Strength for Us'

Celtics Positioned for a Top Second-Round Pick

Jayson Tatum is Ready for the Challenges that Await the Celtics in the Playoffs: 'We've Not Been Waiting for it But Working for it'

Jaylen Brown Shares What Winning the Red Auerbach Award Means to Him: 'I've Put My Everything Into This Team, I've Put My Everything Into This City'

Jaylen Brown on His Relationship with Jayson Tatum: 'We’re a Part of Each Other’s Destiny'

Published Apr 11, 2023

BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.