BSJ Game Report: Hawks 117, Celtics 116 - Lack of effort and focus leads to bad loss

Everything you need to know about the Celtics loss to the Hawks, with BSJ insight and analysis

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics defense was a no-show early, but 16 first-quarter points from Jaylen Brown still gave Boston a two-point lead. They caught fire later in the second quarter, getting 12 points from Derrick White to build an 11-point lead. The Hawks cut it to seven behind 58% shooting and 18 points in the paint in the third and kept their run rolling into the fourth. They kept on offensive rebounding and the Celtics kept turning it over, which made losing on a Hawks putback fitting.

Box Score

HEADLINES

- Complete lack of effort: The Celtics saw half the Hawks roster was out and they mailed this game in. They probably tried for, generously, 10% of the game. The rest was just hoping for Hawks misses, which also didn’t work out great. 

- Points in the paint: The Celtics have had a points in the paint problem all season long, and it really showed in this one. They allowed 68 PITP, giving up 14-23 shooting in the restricted area and 19-29 in the paint, non-restricted area. Allowing 33-52 shooting, 63.5% negates any advantage Boston was able to create with their 3-pointers. 

- A Cup loss: Not that Boston cares (more on that later), but this loss hurts their chances of advancing in the NBA Cup. Their group is weak, but this should have been not only a win, but a win where point differential was padded.

TURNING POINT

Onyeka Okongwu buried White by sealing on a switch, got the ball, and scored an easy hook shot to trigger an 11-3 run that tied the game at 97. The Hawks really asserted themselves in this run, showing the confidence that they could score or rebound whatever shots they missed.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

- The overall effort: The Celtics clearly saw this decimated Hawks team and ran onto the floor for warm-ups with a win already in the column. Allowing 20 offensive rebounds is embarrassing. After the game I had this exchange with Joe Mazzulla: 

Me: “Joe, 20 offensive rebounds allowed, 20 turnovers, seems like that's a matter of effort and focus.”

Joe: “Yeah. Mm hmm. Yes.”

Pretty simple. No effort, no focus, no wins. 

- 100 field goal attempts allowed vs. 75 taken: If I hadn’t seen this game and just saw this stat, I could have told you Boston got out-rebounded and turned the ball over a bunch. Whenever I talk about the importance of getting more shots, this game is exactly what I’m talking about. The team that generates more possessions by playing fast, hustling, and playing defense (or capitalizing on the other team’s lazy passes) is going to get more shots and more chances to win. 

Boston out-scored Atlanta by 24 from the 3-point line, 15 at the free throw line, and shot better (50.7% to 50%) but still lost because the Hawks got 25 more shots. That was 12 more makes, and an 80-40 advantage from 2.  

- Jayson Tatum: The ankle wasn’t 100% and neither was his effort and he still put up 20 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. But he had five turnovers and his defense was not good. If the ankle was bothering him he should have sat out. It’s okay to sit sometimes and get healthy. 

- Jaylen Brown’s second half: He had a monster night offensively, but he was a -7 in the second half, he turned the ball over twice in the fourth quarter, and he missed three free throws in 39 seconds late in the fourth. Tough pill to swallow in a one-point loss.

- Dyson Daniels going off: No one could guard this guy? No one? 

- Okongwu (and Clint Capela) punishing switches: Five of Okongwu's baskets came against Boston guards on switches. Three of them in the fourth quarter, with the final one being the game-winning tip-in he got because White was trying to front him and prevent another easy entry. 

THINGS I LIKED

- Derrick White: Not quite a “you know why” game tonight, but he was the only one keeping the Celtics afloat for a long time. If he could have gotten a stop or two on Okongwu, tonight’s story would have been about White putting on his cape and saving the Celtics. 

- Jaylen Brown’s first half: It was nice to see him regain his shooting touch. 20 points in the first half on 7-12 shooting and 5-6 from the line was great. This should have been a celebration for Brown putting away his hometown team. 

HIGHLIGHTS

THREE TAKES KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- The Celtics should hope Trae Young always plays against them: This is the third straight win for Atlanta in games Young has missed. Without him on the floor, the Celtics don’t have the same kind of obvious target to attack. I wonder when Atlanta is going to realize how much better they play without him. 

- I’m happy Jayson Tatum’s 3-pointer didn’t fall: I didn’t want them to win this game after how they played. They needed to lose and feel that sting. They need to see some criticism coming their way. This will be good. 

- This game proves the Celtics don’t care about the NBA Cup: The Celtics had a chance to come out strong, bury the Hawks, and pile up some points to build their point differential. 

That is … if they cared to do that at all. 

They don’t, and that is very obvious. They might say the things the NBA wants to hear, but if this team cared a single iota about this tournament, they would have pounced on the opportunity in front of them. The would have played better defense, cleared rebounds, and protected the ball more. 

They played this like a November game between a good team and a bad team missing a bunch of players. That's all it was to them, and no amount of green paint on the court was going to change that

Next up: The Celtics travel to Brooklyn for a back-to-back vs. the Nets tomorrow