Inside The Celtics

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Hawks in Game 2: Swarming Defense and 64 Paint Points Propels Boston to 2-0 Lead

The Celtics forced 16 turnovers, blocked 12 shots, and lived at the rim in their 119-106 win over Atlanta in Game 2.

Bobby Krivitsky

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
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The Hawks knew they needed to play more physically to avoid going down 0-2. Instead, it looked like a layup line as the Celtics, met with minimal resistance, produced 64 points in the paint.

Boston's suffocating defense also had a lot to do with that, as the hosts forced ten first-half turnovers and 16 giveaways total. They did a terrific job staying in front of drives, then had help defenders swarming, repeatedly leading to errant passes, steals, and the Celtics blocking 12 shots.

Jayson Tatum stuffed the stat sheet, matching Dejounte Murray with a game-high 29 points. The four-time All-Star also grabbed a team-best ten rebounds, dished out six assists, and had a block and a steal.

Derrick White registered 26 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks in an excellent two-way performance. The defending Eastern Conference champions also got 18 points, three steals, and two blocks from Jaylen Brown.

And Boston's excellent two-way play extended to the second unit as Robert Williams made a significant impact at the rim at both ends, finishing with eight points, five rebounds, and two rejections.

Malcolm Brogdon chipped in 13 points, a game-high eight assists, and snagged seven rebounds.

The Hawks landed multiple counterpunches in the second half again, including crashing the offensive glass to the tune of 12 rebounds and nine second-chance points. They finished with a 19-5 edge in the former and a 13-6 advantage in the latter.

Atlanta also parlayed 11 Celtics turnovers into 17 points. The hosts had 16 giveaways on the night, helping the visitors take 101 shots to their 86.

It's why Joe Mazzulla expressed after Boston's 119-106 win, "As good as it feels, we haven't gotten better in two games because we haven't been able to control the shot margin."

But on a night filled with mostly positives for the hosts, here's a deep dive into what stood out in each quarter of the Celtics' victory.

Attacking Downhill, Stingy Defense Inside the Arc Aid Hosts in First Frame

After shooting 1/16 from beyond the arc in the first half of Game 1, the Hawks started 3/6 from three-point range on Tuesday. They also made four of their first ten attempts from long distance.

As anticipated, they also played with far more physicality than in the series opener. It's crucial for their ability to slow down the Celtics and limit points in the paint after yielding 54 on Saturday.

But that quickly dissipated as Boston produced 18 points in the paint, helping overcome 3/9 shooting from behind the arc. That included Robert Williams quickly making an impact down low after entering the game, registering six points at the cylinder.

Those paint points were also a product of the hosts attacking downhill.

At the other end of the floor, the Hawks had trouble finding success inside the arc, as the Celtics limited them to 37 percent shooting from the field.

They also forced six turnovers and blocked three shots. The most notable of those rejections came at the end of the quarter when Derrick White did an outstanding job staying in front of a Trae Young drive, then swatted his shot.

The ball ended up with Malcolm Brogdon, who buried a shot from about halfcourt to beat the buzzer, giving Boston a 28-25 advantage after 12 minutes.

Stifling Defense Propels Celtics in Second Quarter

Derrick White continued carrying out the Celtics' aggressive philosophy offensively in the second frame, getting downhill with ease at times as he manufactured six of the hosts' first ten points in the paint a little more than halfway through the period.

Boston also continued converting steals and blocks into points. That was at the root of a 6-0 burst where they generated multiple breakaway baskets. The run would've been eight if not for a missed layup by Jayson Tatum. Nonetheless, that sequence extended the lead to 54-42 with 2:32 left in the first half.

Adding to the importance of those forced turnovers and rejections was Atlanta's shooting 47.6 percent from the field in the second frame, including a respectable 4/11 (36.4 percent) from three-point range.

But ten first-half giveaways leading to 12 points for the Celtics and a 13-5 advantage for Boston in fast-break scoring had a lot to do with why the hosts led 61-49 after 24 minutes.

The Celtics also deserve praise for staying aggressive in the halfcourt, slicing through the Hawks' defense like a hot knife through butter. The visitors have been suspect at that end of the floor all season, and if it doesn't improve, this series ending in an upset becomes that much more unlikely.

Jayson Tatum led all participants with 18 points at halftime. He also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds.

Derrick White contributed 12 points, and Robert Williams (eight) and Brogdon (7) accounted for 15 of Boston's 18 second-unit points.

The former made his presence felt at the rim on both ends and is moving impressively well, a great sign for the defending Eastern Conference champions. The latter consistently attacked downhill, staying on brand, helping the Celtics generate 28 points in the paint in 24 minutes.

Brogdon also dished out a first-half high six assists, grabbed five rebounds, and had a block and a steal.

Dejounte Murray paced the visitors with 11 points in the first half, but it required 11 shots. The Celtics will continue inviting him to shoot.

Young entered the break with ten points and five assists. The Hawks also got ten from De'Andre Hunter.

But turnovers and a lack of resistance defensively gashed them in the first half.

Celtics Bring the Energy Out of the Locker Room, But Hawks Land a Counterpunch

The Celtics came out of the locker room with tremendous energy. Their swarming defense best exemplified that.

They stayed in front of drives. Help defenders hassled the Hawks' ball handlers as they got near the rim, and Boston did a commendable job of crowding players without fouling.

Within the first five minutes of the third quarter, the hosts forced three turnovers, and White swatted a Trae Young layup.

Marcus Smart was excellent at both ends within the first six to seven minutes. Defensively, he was flying in to challenge shots at the rim, and he picked off a Young pass, leading to a Horford layup -- after which, with Atlanta down 72-55, the Celtics' elder statesman told the Hawks to take a timeout, to which they obliged.

Offensively, he pushed the pace and created quality looks for his teammates, including working in concert with Jaylen Brown.

And as Boston continued suffocating Atlanta's offense, Robert Williams stayed in front of an attacking John Collins, got help from Horford, and the latter swatted the visiting forward's attempt. That led to a Horford three from the right corner, sending the TD Garden crowd into a frenzy.

But like in the previous quarter and the third frame in Game 1, the Hawks composed themselves, taking better care of the ball, leading to positive results.

Aided by four giveaways by the hosts, Atlanta put 32 points on the board, shooting 51.9 percent from the floor, including 4/11 (36.4 percent) from three-point range. Helping the visitors pull within nine.

The Hawks entered the final 12 minutes trailing 90-81.

Celtics Deliver the Knockout Blow

Atlanta struck back in the second half of the third quarter, but Boston landed another haymaker in the fourth.

The Celtics manufactured ten points in the paint by the 5:04 mark as the visitors continued struggling to provide any resistance.

That production came off stifling defense, limiting the Hawks to 27.8 percent shooting, including 2/9 (22.2 percent) from beyond the arc within the first eight minutes.

And when Horford gathered a skip pass from Tatum and drilled a three from the left corner, it represented the knockout blow, putting Boston ahead 114-97 with 3:51 remaining.

Tatum put the exclamation mark on the Celtics' 119-106 win with a thunderous throwdown on a breakaway flush.

Up Next

Game 3 between the Celtics and Hawks tips off Friday at 7:00 p.m. EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game before, during, and afterward. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.

Further Reading

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Game 1 Win vs. Hawks: Championship-Caliber Defense Propels Hosts in Series Opener

The Celtics Give Their Evaluation of Battle on the Boards in Game 1 Win vs. Hawks

The Celtics Discuss Their Game 1 Win vs. the Hawks: 'We Can't Take Our Foot Off the Gas'

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

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'

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'

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Bobby Krivitsky
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.

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