Onyeka Okongwu will need extensive dental work after a run-in with Celtics star Jaylen Brown’s elbow.
Brown caught the Atlanta center in the mouth while trying to escape a double-team from Okongwu and Dyson Daniels during Wednesday’s Celtics-Hawks game at TD Garden. The collision dislodged at least two of Okongwu’s teeth — which he proudly displayed on social media after his team’s 117-106 win — and resulted in a flagrant 1 offensive foul for Brown.
After the game, Brown praised Okongwu and said his elbow to the face was unintentional.
“Just being aggressive like I always am,” Brown said. “Just a basketball play. It’s unfortunate. Okongwu is a good player. I know from my own experiences with a fractured face and chipped teeth, that (expletive) is a hassle. It wasn’t intentional, and I know it’s going to be a long day at the dentist tomorrow, so hopefully he has a good recovery.”
The play all but ended any hope of a Boston comeback. Okongwu jogged back onto the court, mouth bloodied, to make one of his two free throws, and a putback dunk by Daniels on the ensuing possession put the Hawks up 109-92 with 6:02 remaining. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla pulled his starters shortly thereafter.
Okongwu, who supplanted oft-injured ex-Celtic Kristaps Porzingis as Atlanta’s starting center in late November, has appeared in all but two of the Hawks’ games this season. It’s unclear whether his dental injury will cause him to miss time.
“I mean, he’s tough,” Hawks head coach Quin Snyder said postgame. “He took quite a shot. It’s a good thing that dentistry as a profession is — I don’t know what he’s going to need, but he’s pretty banged up. He took quite a shot. I told him he’s still handsome, but it’s a good thing that people can repair his teeth, because he’s going to need some work.”