Inside The Celtics

The Top 5 Plays in Wednesday's Celtics-Hawks Game

Luke Kornet's defense against Trae Young, Jaylen Brown slicing through Atlanta's defense, and Payton Pritchard's buzzer-beater headline the top five plays from Wednesday's Celtics-Hawks game.

Bobby Krivitsky

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
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From Jayson Tatum's lob to Luke Kornet to Kornet's defense against Trae Young, Jaylen Brown slicing through Atlanta's defense, Payton Pritchard's buzzer-beater, and Al Horford thwarting Young at the rim, here are the top five plays from Wednesday's Celtics-Hawks game.

Jayson Tatum Throws the Lob; Luke Kornet Takes Care of the Rest

As displayed above, Luke Kornet sets wide screens that, whether for someone with or without the ball, effectively create separation for the individual utilizing the pick.

When Jayson Tatum comes off the Kornet screen and heads downhill, Clint Capela's waiting for him at the nail, the spot at the middle of the free-throw line.

But when Trae Young tries to read Tatum's eyes and step in front of a potential pass to Sam Hauser, with A.J. Griffin reluctant to leave Payton Pritchard in the corner, there's no one to tag the roller. That's the green light Tatum needs to throw the lob to Kornet, who finishes with a reverse slam.

Luke Kornet vs. Trae Young: The Mismatch That Wasn't

The Green Kornet also had a strong showing defensively in Monday's 126-101 win.

Here, he ends up on Young, a matchup one would expect to end with the Hawks putting points on the board. But Kornet's balanced, he utilizes his length, and even when he opens his hips, he's perfectly aligned, showing Young an unappealing angle towards the baseline.

That persuades Young to launch a step-back three, but Kornet quickly closes the gap and gets a piece of his shot, capping an impressive defensive rep.

Jaylen Brown Slices Through the Hawks' Defense

First, Jaylen Brown gets the pass and pick that gets six-foot guard Aaron Holiday switched onto him. With a better effort, De'Andre Hunter could've at least recovered to avoid this.

Then, Holiday gets out of his stance as Brown starts attacking downhill. Onyeka Okongwu can't react in time, Griffin's slow to do so, and like those two, Young's contest has no impact on Brown's layup as he slices through Atlanta's defense for two points at the cup.

Payton Pritchard Beats the Halftime Buzzer

Granted, it's a shot from 29 feet, but Pritchard's a good shooter, and Boston's inbounding after a pair of free throws by Young. No one on the Hawks getting to Pritchard speaks to a poor effort they paid the price for as he drills a three at the buzzer.

Al Horford Denies Trae Young at the Rim

An effective high-ball screen from Hunter, set well above the arc, forces Al Horford to try to contain Young as he comes downhill with momentum. The latter utilizes an in-and-out dribble to get to the basket, but Horford stays with him, times his leap well, and swats Young's layup from behind.

With a numbers advantage at the other end, Grant Williams gets an easy deuce off the glass.

Further Reading

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Hawks: Largely Contained to the Mid-Range, Atlanta Can't Keep Pace with Boston

This Eye-Popping Celtics Stat Will Certainly Blow Boston Fans' Minds

Blake Griffin's Advice to Marcus Smart Helped Lead Celtics to Win Monday

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Thunder: Boston Overcomes Offensive Struggles, Rallies for Seventh-Straight Victory

The Top 5 Plays from Monday's Celtics-Thunder Game

Exploring the Celtics' Options with the Disabled Player Exception Granted to Them for Losing Danilo Gallinari

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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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