NBA Notebook: First round set up Celtics for an NBA Finals run

The Celtics found themselves playing in front of a raucous Atlanta crowd, the best State Farm Arena hosted all season, trailing the Hawks in the fourth quarter on the verge of a Game 7. Trae Young scored 25 points in the first half, Dejounte Murray found his shot in the second half and Quin Snyder's shot-advantage game plan continued to pressure the Celtics to defend the defensive glass, protect the ball and shoot aggressive threes. 

Jaylen Brown started the run again, launching a three over Murray to tie the game with 4:32 remaining in Game 6. Al Horford caught a pass from Marcus Smart two possessions later, breaking the tie from three and pointing toward the Hawks bench. A longer series than expected brought the best out of Boston late -- and some fire out of one of its quieter players -- before they advanced along with a field of teams they hold advantages over. 

"There was somebody, I'm not gonna call him out, I appreciated it because he got me going," Horford said. "He said some stuff there that I wasn't very pleased with, and I took it to heart and I was able to get that shot, so I appreciate him for talking trash to me. There's some people you can talk trash to. You talk trash to me, it's probably not good for you." 

Whether a Hawks player -- Horford and Bogdan Bogdanovic going at it in the second half on Thursday -- or a fan behind them talking to Boston's big man, Game 6 capped a series where both teams traded talk, shots and frustrating losses before the Celtics advanced. Young won Game 5 with long fourth quarter three-pointers, including the game-winner with seconds remaining after TD Garden chanted overrated and more explicit taunts to the guard, who took it as a sign of respect. 

The Hawks complained about Celtics moving screens, pointing the referee's attention toward them as Joe Mazzulla held himself back at discussing that portion of the officiating before Game 6. Offensive execution broke down two nights earlier, gaining the 76ers more rest and Atlanta a chance to force an unthinkable Game 7. While the series never should've advanced that far, round one established the Celtics title favorites with how it tested Boston and either damaged or eliminated opponents across the NBA. In a league only expecting to see parity increase further after the union and teams passed a CBA that included a more stringent luxury tax, the Celtics saw their own shortcomings, the importance of this year and upsets in other series as a warning sign to get it together now. 

"This could possibly be our last chance of having this opportunity," Smart said. "Last year taught us that. You don't get blessed or lucky too many times, and you've gotta grasp and take full advantage of it." 

Young called the Celtics clear favorites after Boston's 11-0 run to clinch the series. He smiled after throwing the ball off Smart twice, setting up four failed attempts at an in-bounds pass from an awkward corner location with under 30 seconds remaining. The Hawks didn't have an in-bounds play for that spot, Young admitted, reflecting the position Atlanta sat in after hiring Snyder in late February. Mazzulla also figured out a mix of switching and doubling with Horford that slowed Young to a 1-for-13 finish. 

Snyder's coaching, nonetheless, bridged the gap between the two teams, while his inability to focus on every area of the game without many practices or a training camp gave the Celtics an advantage. As did Danilo Gallinari's knowledge of his former Hawks team, which he brought to team meetings the Celtics involved him in. Young's defensive limitations provided Boston a lesson in exploiting mismatches and Brown's ability to play through pain in his cut right hand in Game 4 gave the team another edge. None became larger than Derrick White's time spent with Murray in San Antonio. 

"(White)'s just a competitor, not a loud mouth guy, works really hard, really quiet, unless he gets comfortable, he opens up," Murray told Boston Sports Journal midway through the series. "He's a great, great teammate, motivator, he works hard. There's no surprise. I'm not surprised. I knew how he hard he works, how much he loves the game, he's passionate. Obviously, it's great to see him able to play great at a high level, just want him to slow down a little bit against us, but other than that I'm happy for him, we're gonna continue to compete, and that's somebody I talk to off the floor as well ... Boston's using him the right way, high character, high IQ guy, he can shoot the ball, his 0.5 is probably one of the best in the game, as far as catching the ball and driving it, knowing what he wants to do, knowing how to get fouled, great defender, smart defender, on the ball and off the ball. Just everything, man, he's a complete player." 

That respect momentarily disappeared when Murray pointed at White late in Game 3, who fell to the floor after failing to stop his former teammate's decisive pull-up three. Smart answered in the opposite corner and pointed a finger right back at the Hawks bench. Murray barked at the Boston bench at TD Garden, Mazzulla quipping that the guard asked how his day was going. 

The mix of respect and resentment made for a fun series. Clint Capela constantly raved about how the Horford matchup forced him to adjust to account for the big man's three-point shot. White, who averaged 17.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 55.7% from the field and 45.7% from three in the six games, got caught up in the intensity, too. It reminded him of his battles against Murray in Spurs practice.

"I remember, I just get to Summer League, and you know how he gets all those steals at the top all the time? I didn't know nothing about that, so the first two passes, he stole them and it's like, alright, this is a different level," White told Boston Sports Journal. "Practices, we used to go back and forth, but it was all fun. Obviously, he's one of the best in the league at getting steals, so being strong with the ball, making decisive moves, things like that I got in practice. He really does some steals that nobody else in the league really gets. Going against that every day made me better ... on the court, he has a different edge." 

While those back-and-forth moments grew as the series advanced, other ones in the east ended early that could benefit the Celtics moving forward. Joel Embiid fell injured, spraining his LCL in Game 3 against the Nets and Doc Rivers revealed he enters Game 1 at Boston listed as doubtful. Cleveland lost to New York after taking 3-of-4 from the Celtics during the regular season.

The Bucks, the only team in the NBA who held home-court advantage over Boston in the playoffs, lost in five games to the Heat. They face the Knicks on the opposite side of the bracket in a series likely to extend longer than the Sixers and Celtics, if Embiid misses significant time or plays hobbled. Boston already finished 3-1 against Philadelphia in the regular season, nearly winning a fourth game where multiple Celtics starters sat. Out west, their rival Warriors face a Game 7 on the road at Sacramento and a tough Clippers team that beat Boston badly in December lost in five games to Phoenix. 

The Celtics also saw Robert Williams III emerge with a 13-point, 15-rebound effort in Game 4 after Mazzulla challenged him and stressed how important he can be for the team. Smart nearly missed time after falling on his tail bone in Game 3 and instead returned to close the series with 17.0 PPG on 52.9% shooting over the final three games, scoring or assisting on 13 of the Celtics' final 16 points in the clincher, executing the two-man game with Tatum. 

Tatum got it too, taking credit for the Game 3 letdown and closing strong after his slow play late in Game 5 cost the Celtics. Mazzulla also took credit for getting too involved with play calls and not letting Boston flow naturally into the half court as they do at their best. Not only hearing Tatum describe how the Celtics play at their best, but seeing him execute it proved most encouraging. The Celtics improbably won the series rebounding battle, 270-263, won in spite of getting out-shot by 37 attempts and managed an even turnover battle (74-74), while the Hawks showed Tatum two bodies constantly.

"A lot of those pick-and-rolls, they’re blitzing. Isolation, they blitz, (so I) hit Smart. He had a couple of layups and kick-outs to Al," Tatum said. "Creating an advantage in late game situations, instead of always getting a switch (and isolating). There's times for that, but our offense is most dynamic when we’re all moving, cutting, passing up good shots for great shots.”

Here's what else happened around the NBA...

Atlanta (lost 2-4 vs. Boston): Led midway through the fourth quarter of Game 6 after overcoming a 13-point deficit late in Game 5 to force the Celtics to return to Atlanta. Trae Young woke up and scored 35 points and dished 13 assists at Boston without Dejounte Murray, who the NBA suspended for Game 5 after making physical contact with an official after Game 4. Murray returned and struggled in Game 6, starting 0-for-5, while Young tortured Boston's many defensive coverages with 25 points in the first half. The Hawks pushed the Celtics as hard as they could, but a failed in-bounds sequence, trying four times to get the ball in, that Young admitted Atlanta didn't have a play for, shows the continued challenges Quin Snyder will face here. 

The talent is undeniable, but they'll have difficult decisions to make at nearly every position this offseason.

Boston (won 4-2 vs. Atlanta): Jayson Tatum scored five straight points to separate the Celtics late in Game 5 while Marcus Smart scored or assisted on 13 points late, running the two-man game with Tatum and finding Al Horford for the go-ahead three. Tatum and Smart's turnovers and poor decisions late in Game 5 cost the Celtics a chance for extra rest and forced them to brave a difficult Atlanta push and environment in Game 6. Their execution offensively late in the game showed growth and the Hawks clearly entered the series a better opponent than many expected. Boston moves on to play Philadelphia in Game 1 of the second round on Monday at 7:30 EST. Tatum finished round one with 27.2 PPG, 10.0 RPG and 5.3 APG on 45.3% FG.

Brooklyn: Will they star-gaze again after the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving saga, or try a more organic route that led to competitiveness in round one, but ultimately a sweep at the hands of the 76ers? Damian Lillard's appearance at Barclays Center late in the series made some Nets fans dream while Karl-Anthony Towns' future grew more uncertain in Minnesota after another bad first-round loss. Neither star appears on the move yet though, as Brooklyn faces more urgent decisions on a crowded roster. 

Restricted free agent Cam Johnson will become a popular name, though one who indicated he can't imagine playing without long-time teammate Mikal Bridges. Dorian Finney-Smith, signed through 2025, underwent surgery on his right pinky finger. Seth Curry and Yuta Watanabe are unrestricted free agents, while Ben Simmons avoided more back surgery, but has played only 42 games here. 

Cleveland (lost 1-4 vs. New York): The Knicks dominated the Cavaliers on the glass, Cleveland could not guard Jalen Brunson and Mitchell Robinson blocked over two Cavs shots per game in a dominant win for New York as an underdog over Cleveland. The Cavaliers received as much production from Isaac Okoro and Caris LeVert at the questionable wing position, while Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen ended the series as enormous disappointments against the Knicks' front court. Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland both shot below 44% from the field and the depth difference between the teams became apparent after Julius Randle left Game 5 and Obi Toppin still helped New York close the series out. The team JB Bickerstaff back as head coach despite the early playoff exit and LeVert, an unrestricted free agent, expressed his desire to stay in Cleveland. 

"J.B. has been through this rebuild from the ground up and he's done a phenomenal job instilling a culture here of accountability and hard work," GM Koby Altman said. "You can't fluke your way into 51 wins and you can't fluke your way into the No. 1 defensive rating in the NBA. That's coaching.

Denver (won 4-1 vs. Minnesota): Nearly overcame an eight-point deficit with three minutes to go, forcing overtime before eventually falling in Game 4 and clinching the series at home over a Timberwolves team that couldn't slow Nikola Jokić until the clincher, where he shot 8-for-29. He still managed 17 rebounds and 12 assists in a 28-point triple double, averaging 26.2 PPG, 12.4 RPG and 9.0 APG to begin a critical postseason run. More importantly, Jamal Murray finished the first round with 27.2 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 6.4 APG on 47.1 shooting. Denver shot 39% from three. They host the Phoenix Suns on Saturday at 8:30 EST to begin the second round of the playoffs a surprising underdog to a team that struggled at times against the injured Clippers.

Golden State (tied 3-3 vs. Sacramento): Lost a potential series-clincher at home in blowout fashion to an injured and increasingly inconsistent Kings team they looked like they surpassed. Instead, Draymond Green fouled often and scored four points, Jordan Poole only managed seven points in 26 minutes and Andrew Wiggins finished with 13, with Golden State failing to reach 100 points. Klay Thompson got hot in Game 5 and combined for 56 points with Steph Curry, the Warriors' best shot to steal a road win, something they've only done 12 times in 44 games this season. Game 7 is on Sunday at 3:30 EST in Sacramento. 

"When I said that was the best win of the season on Game 5, this is probably the worst loss of the season," Thompson said after Game 6. "There's no time to hang our heads. I didn't play very well tonight, three turnovers, minus 28 is awful. Luckily for us, we still have another crack at it. I still have absolute belief that this team can go get it done on the road. It will be a tall task, but we are up for it. I know we'll respond."

Houston: Hired former Celtics head coach Ime Udoka to replace Stephen Silas, Udoka speaking for the first time since his suspension and firing from Boston, sharing little about the events that led to his ousting, but taking accountability and noting he underwent counseling to address his actions and his relationship with his son. Udoka violated multiple Celtics team policies at the time, Wyc Grousbeck said, while reports indicated he had an improper relationship with a Boston staffer. He raised similar points of emphasis he did throughout his time with the Celtics, defense and tough coaching. Boston's players and Joe Mazzulla said they were happy to hear Udoka received another opportunity while the next question becomes whether Udoka will try to bring some of his former assistant coaches over from the Celtics. 

"My part in it was to take ownership and accountability for my part. They had a choice," Udoka said. "And they went that route and my thing was, own up to it, take responsibility, I served a suspension and had to own it."

Clippers (lost 1-4 vs. Phoenix): Kawhi Leonard tore his right meniscus in the same knee he underwent ACL surgery on in 2021, and dealt with his leg ailment on during his final season with the Spurs. Team president Lawrence Frank did not reveal whether Leonard will undergo surgery, a potentially lengthy recovery if he needs repairing, but Frank expected Leonard to be ready for next season. Much soul-searching is in store after another season where Leonard and Paul George could not take the court for the final game of the Clippers' season, falling massively short of their dream of a championship and stunningly going home before the Lakers. Russell Westbrook and Norman Powell combined for 45.4 PPG, 10.6 RPG and 9.6 APG, while Powell converted 40% of his threes. Enough remains to still believe in this team, if healthy, for ensuing runs, but it's impossible to expect that health.

"Injuries suck. They suck, but they happen," Frank said. "For Kawhi and PG, for everything they put into their bodies to be healthy at this time, to be injured, it's devastating for them. They're agonized. It's painful. I feel for our fans who have been there every step of the way and for [Clippers owner Steve Ballmer], who's given us all the resources to try to achieve our goal each and every year, which is to win a championship. So that's hard. And yet at the same time, when you take a step back, what I don't want to do is have the injuries or how hard we fought in the postseason to mask a disappointing regular season. We have to be honest with ourselves, and we have to look in the mirror. It starts with me. And we have to get back to honoring and respecting the regular season."

Lakers (won 4-1 vs. Memphis): Will advance to play the winner of  Warriors-Kings Game 7 after pummeling the No. 2 seed Grizzlies in the clincher, 125-85, in a series many expected the healthy Lakers to win, but they ended up dominating. D'Angelo Russell and LeBron James, who soared for another ridiculous dunk playing through an injured foot, combined for 53 points, while Anthony Davis finished the series averaging 21.8 PPG, 13.6 RPG and 4.2 BPG on 47.3% shooting. The Austin Reaves revelation grew larger, LA gaining 17.6 PPG from a third source, while both Russell and Rui Hachimura scored double-figures consistently. Reaves' 23 points keyed Game 4, while the Lakers held Memphis to nine first quarter points in Game 3, setting a playoff record for the largest lead after the opening frame, 35-9. They're a real NBA Finals contender, ranking No. 3 in defense this postseason.

Memphis (lost 1-4 vs. Lakers): Ja Morant's efforts playing through a clearly agonizing right hand injury he suffered falling in Game 1 proved commendable. The Grizzlies' horrible efforts after his Game 3 comeback attempt, scoring 22 straight points during one sequence, did not, as he received a question about his comment to ESPN overlooking the west toward a potential NBA Finals with the Celtics. Dillon Brooks' future with the team looks untenable, involved in spats throughout the postseason series while averaging 10.6 PPG on 30.3% FG. Jaren Jackson Jr. fouled 3.8 times per game, though managed to average 37 minutes per game, and both Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones struggled to shoot. Changes could be in store.

Miami (won 4-1 vs. Milwaukee): Became only the sixth team in postseason history to defeat a No. 1 seed in the first round behind an all-time memorable performance from Jimmy Butler, who finished the series averaging 37.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 4.8 APG on 59.7% FG, hitting 44.4% of his threes. He scored 56 points in Game 4 after the Bucks nearly tied the series in Miami, finishing the game on a 41-25 run in the fourth quarter to steal the game. Then, Butler scored 42 points in 46 minutes, erasing another double-digit Bucks lead late in Game 5 and tying the game in the final seconds on an impossible alley-oop tip in over Pat Connaughton. The Heat won overtime, 10-8, advancing to play the Knicks in a renewal of the 1990s rivalry. 

Milwaukee (lost 1-4 vs. Miami): Difficult to imagine a more stunning finish to a season where they won 16 straight games to surge past the Celtics, who defeated them last year in round two, into a general consensus as a narrow championship favorite. Giannis Antetokounmpo (back) missed parts of three games before posting a triple-double in the Bucks' Game 4 collapse and frustratingly missing 13 free throws in Game 5. Mike Budenholzer's future seems safe for at least one more season, GM Jon Horst an ally with their once skeptical owner Marc Lasry selling his stake in the team late this season. Former Bucks assistant coach Darvin Ham revealed Budenholzer lost his brother in a car accident during the series, and while Antetokounmpo expressed he wished he guarded Jimmy Butler more during his iconic closeout run, he called it a coach's decision, refuting that the season was a failure.

Minnesota (lost 1-4 vs. Denver): Hard to imagine this season going worst between the imperfect Rudy Gobert fit and his eventual suspension from the play-in game for punching Kyle Anderson, Karl-Anthony Towns missing most of the season with a calf injury and struggling in the playoffs again. They replaced D'Angelo Russell with a sturdier veteran signed longer-term in Mike Conley, giving them more ability to run this back next year and find more chemistry. Anthony Edwards, who missed a game-tying three to force overtime in Game 5, should mature and blossom as a player, their greatest hope going forward without many assets to improve the roster after trading almost all their picks and depth for Gobert. Edwards faces charges in Denver for allegedly tossing chairs at arena workers following the series loss to the Nuggets. He was cited for two misdemeanor counts of third-degree assault, and will appear in court on June 9.

“With the game over, Anthony’s exit from the court was partially obstructed by a chair, which he moved and set down three steps later. As video of the incident confirms," Harvey Steinberg, Edwards' attorney said. "Anthony did not swing the chair at anyone and of course did not intend to hurt anyone. Anthony intends to vigorously defend against these baseless charges.”

New York (won 4-1 vs. Cleveland): It's all up for the Knicks, who enter their second-round series against the Miami Heat as favorites to advance to the east finals, where they could meet a Celtics team they finished 3-1 against during the regular season. RJ Barrett emerged from struggles earlier in the series to finish the final three games of the series averaging 22.0 PPG on 55.8% shooting. They'll need him against Miami defensively against Jimmy Butler in tandem with Quentin Grimes and Josh Hart, especially if Julius Randle (ankle) is limited in the series after struggling through another left ankle sprain against Cleveland. Randle is questionable to return for Game 1 on Sunday at 1 EST at Madison Square Garden, as is Grimes (shoulder). 

Orlando: Paolo Banchero won rookie of the year, receiving 98 out of 100 possible first-place votes following a dominant scoring season for the 2022 No. 1 overall pick, who helped the Magic finish within 6.0 games of a postseason spot. Orlando improved 12 games over their east-worst 2022 record and Banchero rivaled LeBron James' scoring feats in his first season, averaging 20.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG and 3.7 APG on 42.7% shooting, just falling short of James' 20.9 PPG in 2004. Thunder guard Jalen Williams finished second and Jazz center Walker Kessler received two first-place votes to go No. 3. 

Philadelphia: Visit Boston for Game 1 of a daunting second-round series against the rival Celtics, who went 3-1 against the Sixers during the regular season, swept Philadelphia in 2020 and won 4-1 in 2018, their previous two playoff series. Joel Embiid received 11 days off between Game 3 against Brooklyn, when he sprained his left LCL, and the second round. Doc Rivers called Embiid doubtful to play in the series opener at practice on Saturday. Embiid averaged 36.8 PPG and 11.8 RPG on 61.2% FG during the regular season. James Harden averaged 25.5 PPG and 9.0 APG on 47.5% FG.

“I know whenever Game 1 comes around and he’s available, I know he’s gonna dominate like he always does," Shake Milton said. "With Jo, it’s nothing you really have to worry about. He’s getting his work in and he’s going to be prepared.”

Phoenix (won 4-1 vs. Clippers): Chris Paul's struggles loom from round one as their largest question facing a Nuggets team that'll throw Jamal Murray, finding his greatest strides this postseason since tearing his ACL in 2021. The Suns narrowly closed out the first round against a Clippers team that played them within single-digits in each of the last three games, Russell Westbrook and Norman Powell torturing their back court. 

Devin Booker scored at will, averaging 37.2 PPG and 6.2 APG on 51.8% shooting, leaving Kevin Durant as the No. 2 priority for defenses. That makes the Suns scary and Torrey Craig shot 55% from three to round out Phoenix' rotation after depth questions emerged early in the series. This series should tell us whether this team can win a championship now, or needs next season to gel after adjustments around their core this offseason. Game 1 is at 8:30 EST.

Sacramento (tied 3-3 vs. Golden State): Their memorable return to the playoffs culminates in a Game 7 at home where they had dominated the Warriors in Games 1 and 2 before Golden State shocked them in Game 5. De'Aaron Fox broke the tip of his right index finger, placing his status for Game 5-6 in question after the Kings nearly took a 3-1 lead on the road, falling 126-125 in Game 4 after Harrison Barnes missed a game-winning three gifted by Steph Curry's attempt to call timeout with none remaining. Fox struggled playing through the injury at home two nights later, before overcoming early turnovers in Game 6 to score 26 points with 11 assists on 10-for-18 shooting to save Sacramento's season on the road. He needs Domantas Sabonis to emerge from his struggles to win Game 7, which would advance them to renew an old rivalry with the Lakers. 

Toronto: Could take their time searching for Nick Nurse's replacement after Ime Udoka signed with the Rockets, with the field expected to include their own assistant and Spain head coach Sergio Scariolo, Bucks assistant Charles Lee, Warriors assistant  Kenny Atkinson, Phoenix assistant Kevin Young, San Antonio’s Mitch Johnson, Sacramento assistant Jordi Fernandez, Grizzlies assistant Darko Rajaković and Miami assistant Chris Quinn. Becky Hammon, the champion Las Vegas Aces coach and former Spurs assistant, will also receive an interview and could become the first woman head coach of an NBA team. The Athletic expects Toronto to prioritize retaining Fred VanVleet and Jakob Poetl, likely leaving Gary Trent Jr. to depart.