March 27, 2026, 10:40 p.m. ET
The Boston Celtics got punched hard in the mouth early by the Atlanta Hawks, but weathered the storm to win 109-102 despite falling into a 16-point deficit in the contest’s first frame. That they did so without star forward Jaylen Brown (out with Achilles tendinitis) made the victory all the more impressive for Boston, who held onto a lead for most of the second half.
Reserve guard Payton Pritchard led all scorers with 36 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, and Brown’s costar on the wing, Jayson Tatum, added a season-high 26 points, 12 boards, and 5 assists. Among the starters, Sam Hauser (10 points) and Derrick White (10 points) scored in double figures, and off the bench, backup big man Luka Garza added another 11 points and 4 rebounds.
With the win, the Celtics improve to 49-24 on the season while extending their lead over the New York Knicks to 1.5 games in their grip on the Eastern Conference’s second-place spot.
It remains to be seen whether Boston can hang onto that spot with one of the league’s toughest remaining schedules while trailing the first-place Detroit Pistons by four games.
The Celtics will next play the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, March 29 on the road.
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