Inside The Celtics

The Hawks Hit Hardest in Game 3, Now, Joe Mazzulla Wants Celtics to 'Throw One Back'

As the Celtics anticipated, the series' shifting to Atlanta brought out the best in the Hawks.

Bobby Krivitsky

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
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It's a mantra as old as the NBA: role players perform better at home. In the Hawks' 130-122 Game 3 win over the Celtics, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Saddiq Bey combined for 27 points in the first half, knocking down all ten shots they took.

They got Atlanta's starters and a quiet crowd going, acting as the spark that lit the fuse on a 41-point second quarter, giving the hosts 74 through two frames, the most the Hawks have ever scored in any half of a playoff game.

And while both teams held each other to 26 points in the first 12 minutes after halftime, Trae Young and Dejounte Murray accounted for 20 of the hosts' last 21 points in the fourth quarter, ensuring Bey and Bogdanovic's efforts weren't in vain.

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Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Young stuffed the stat sheet with 32 points, leading all participants and making light work of Boston's drop coverage, plus nine assists, six rebounds, and two blocks. Murray registered 25 points, routinely making contested shots, six rebounds, and five assists.

Atlanta produced 54 points in the paint to the visitors' 40 in the victory. The Hawks also parlayed 11 offensive rebounds into a 23-9 advantage in second-chance scoring. They had a 14-10 edge in fast-break points, and their second unit put 44 on the board while the Celtics' bench manufactured 35.

That's not to say the hosts were better in every category. They committed 19 turnovers to Boston's 12, leading to 29 points for the latter, 15 more than the former scored off giveaways.

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Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

But the Celtics anticipated the series shifting to Atlanta would bring out the best in the Hawks, and it did. After the hosts hit hardest on Friday, post-game, Joe Mazzulla conveyed he wants Boston to "throw one back" in Game 4 on Sunday.

Further Reading

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss in Game 3 vs. Hawks: Boston Struggles to Find Balance as Atlanta Extends Series

Ime Udoka 'Serious Candidate' to Become Head Coach of Celtics' Division Rival

Malcolm Brogdon Discusses Winning Sixth Man of the Year: 'I'm In a Really Good Situation'

[Film Room] Derrick White's Assertiveness Leads to 26 Points, MVP Chants as Celtics Take 2-0 Lead

Celtics Discuss Derrick White Stepping Up in Game 2 Win: 'We Need Him to Continue to Play at this Level'

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

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

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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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