In a thrilling showdown, Payton Pritchard lit up the scoreboard with 36 points, while Jayson Tatum added a double-double with 26 points and 12 rebounds, leading the Boston Celtics to a 109-102 victory over the Atlanta Hawks.
The Hawks, riding high with a 15-2 record since the All-Star break, saw Jalen Johnson drop 29 points and CJ McCollum contribute 21. Nickeil Alexander-Walker chipped in 20 points, but despite a strong start, Atlanta's shooting cooled off as the game wore on.
Boston was without All-Star guard Jaylen Brown, sidelined due to Achilles tendinitis. Yet, Pritchard’s energy off the bench and a barrage of threes helped the Celtics erase an early 25-9 deficit. Boston caught fire in the second quarter, sinking seven consecutive three-pointers, but still trailed 60-55 at halftime as Johnson and the Hawks maintained their edge.
Fresh from an overtime win against Eastern Conference leader Detroit, the Hawks stayed within reach of Boston, who holds the second-best record in the East. Tatum struggled from the field, hitting just 8 of 24 shots, but his crucial spinning drive extended Boston's lead to 97-86 with just over seven minutes left.
Tatum then iced the game by sinking three free throws after being fouled on a three-point attempt, pushing the Celtics' lead to 107-99 with a minute to play.
Despite entering Friday with a hot streak of 14 wins in their last 15 games, the Hawks’ momentum was halted, and their shooting dipped to 39% from the field.
With Brown missing his eighth game this season, the Celtics have shown resilience, improving to 7-1 without their star. Coach Joe Mazzulla indicated Brown's status is day-to-day.
Looking ahead, the Hawks will host Sacramento on Saturday night, while the Celtics are set to travel to face Charlotte on Sunday.