Before Jaylen Brown and the Celtics took the floor against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night, the All-Star forward had a moment that hit close to home-literally. Just down the road from State Farm Arena, Wheeler High School honored the Georgia native by retiring his high school jersey. It was a full-circle moment for Brown, and he responded with the kind of performance that reminded everyone why his NBA jersey might one day hang in the rafters too.
Brown was electric in Boston’s 132-106 blowout win over Atlanta, pouring in 41 points along with 6 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal, and a block. It wasn’t just the scoring-though he made it look effortless-it was the control, the pace, and the presence. Brown looked every bit the franchise cornerstone, and on a night when the Celtics led by as many as 43, he was the engine that drove the rout.
But he wasn’t alone. Sam Hauser caught fire and never cooled off, tying a career-high with 10 made threes on his way to 30 points.
Add in 6 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a block, and you’ve got one of the most complete games of his young career. Hauser’s shooting stretched the floor, opened up driving lanes, and kept Atlanta’s defense scrambling all night.
Derrick White didn’t need to score much-just 7 points-but he stuffed the stat sheet in every other way. His 12 assists were a game-high, and he added 5 boards, 3 steals, and a block.
It was classic White: steady, smart, and always in the right spot. His ability to orchestrate the offense and disrupt on defense continues to be one of Boston’s most underrated assets.
Off the bench, Anfernee Simons gave the Celtics a nice scoring punch with 14 points, plus 2 rebounds, an assist, and a block. His ability to create off the dribble and knock down shots kept Boston’s momentum rolling even when the starters sat.
With the win, Boston improves to 26-15, tightening the race at the top of the Eastern Conference. They’re now within striking distance of first place, and performances like this one are a reminder of just how dangerous this team can be when everything clicks.
Next up? A showdown with the Eastern Conference’s surprise story-the Detroit Pistons.
The two teams will meet Monday night at Little Caesars Arena in Michigan, and with both squads jockeying for position atop the standings, it’s shaping up to be a statement game. The Celtics are rolling, and they’ll look to keep that momentum going against the only team in the East with a better record.