Boston Celtics Defeat Atlanta Hawks 123-93 in a Dominant Performance

The Boston Celtics cruised to a 123-93 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday evening, Nov. 4, at State Farm Arena. Despite a strong emphasis on ball movement from the Hawks, Boston’s relentless offense and defense proved too much for Atlanta to handle.

The Hawks’ night was further marred by an injury to star guard Trae Young, who sustained a right rib sprain during the third quarter and did not return for the remainder of the game.

Key Highlights for the Hawks

•Ball Movement on Display: The Hawks continued their unselfish style with 23 assists, marking their 25th consecutive game with at least 20 assists. This also extended their home streak to 54 games with 20+ assists, the third-longest in franchise history.

•Jalen Johnson Shines: Johnson led Atlanta with 20 points and 11 rebounds, notching his fourth double-double of the season and 24th of his career. The 6-9 forward added four assists and a steal in 31 minutes, marking his 10th career game with 20+ points and 10+ rebounds.

•Onyeka Okongwu’s Efficient Double-Double: Okongwu recorded his first double-double of the season with 18 points on 8-12 shooting (.667 FG%), adding 10 rebounds and two steals in 23 minutes. This marked his 30th career game with double-digit rebounds.

•Dyson Daniels’ Defensive Consistency: Daniels contributed eight points, two rebounds, three assists, and a steal in 24 minutes, extending his streak of games with at least one steal to six. He also leads the league in deflections, with 34 this season.

•Keaton Wallace’s Defensive Presence: Coming off the bench, Wallace added six points, four rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and four steals in 21 minutes. His four steals make him the first second-year Hawk to reach this mark since De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish in the 2020-21 season.

•Garrison Mathews’ Reliable Shooting: Mathews scored 10 points on 4 of 5 shooting (.800 FG%) and made 2 of 3 from beyond the arc. He’s now connected on two or more three-pointers in eight consecutive games, the longest such streak of his Hawks career.

•Trae Young’s Assist Streak Continues: Before exiting with his injury, Young extended his streak of five-plus assist games to 169, the third-longest in NBA history. He’s currently averaging 9.53 assists per game over his career, ranking third all-time among qualified players.

Boston Celtics’ Standout Performances

•Jayson Tatum Leads the Way: Tatum scored a game-high 28 points on 10-21 shooting (.476 FG%), including 6-14 from three (.429 3FG%). He added nine assists, six rebounds, and two steals in a well-rounded performance.

•Derrick White’s Versatile Performance: White chipped in with 21 points on 8-16 shooting (.500 FG%), including 4-9 from three (.444 3FG%). He also contributed six rebounds, six assists, a block, and two steals in 29 minutes.

Looking Ahead

With Trae Young’s rib sprain adding uncertainty to the Hawks’ immediate future, Atlanta now faces a critical test in their upcoming stretch of games. The severity of Young’s injury and his recovery timeline remain unknown, but his absence would pose a major setback for a team that relies heavily on his playmaking and leadership.

Following the game, Hawks’ coach Quin Snyder confirmed the injury as a right rib sprain but did not provide further details on Young’s condition.

Next up: The Hawks will look to regroup as they host the New York Knicks on Wednesday night, Nov. 7.