With game three of the Boston Celtics versus the Atlanta Hawks going in the favor of the home team (Hawks), Boston made key adjustments to bounce back in game four. While the Celtics took double digit leads multiple times during the game, the Hawks kept finding ways to bounce back. Ultimately Boston secured the win as a result of a well rounded team effort.
Jaylen Brown Goes Maskless
After a seemingly sluggish start from Jaylen Brown including what looked like it was going to be a nightmare shooting night, Brown did the unthinkable. He removed the mask for the first time since February 8th. Jaylen started the night shooting 1-7 after coming off a game three where he did not look like his true self.
The moment the mask came off, the "energy shifter" switched into a higher gear. Jaylen Brown went 9-11 in his first 11 shots after making the change. Marcus Smart told the media, “We just knew at that moment that it was going to be different and he was going to carry us and bring us home.” The eruption from Brown helped the Celtics significantly down the stretch, so we must ask, is that it for the mask?
The Jays: The Best Duo in Basketball
All year Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have put the league on notice as the best duo in the NBA, as they reached historic highs on the stat sheet together. Last night's performance was no different as these two put on a show in a major way. Both stars put up 31 points, tied for the high scorer in the game. With the series at an inflection point with an opportunity for either side to make a statement, the Jays found many ways to get it done.
Jayson Tatum after scoring under 20 points heading into late in the game started to show his true colors by hitting superstar level shots. On the offensive side of things, he contributed 31 points with 3 three's and 11 free-throws. In a momentum shifting moment, Tatum drained a logo-deep three at the expiration of the shot clock. Tatum also had three defensive blocks in key moments, as well as 7 rebounds.
Like Jayson, Jaylen found important ways to remain involved in this high stakes game down the stretch. He landed big jumpers and dunks, going 12-22 on the game. The Jays all season have found a way to get it done when it matters most and last night was certainly no different.
Rob Williams: The Difference Maker
For a long time now, Rob has been a huge factor defensively and more recently offensively for this Boston team. Ahead of game four, Coach Joe Mazzulla confronted Rob and told him that if he was going to do anything, that it must be securing rebounds. Well, it's clear Rob took this instruction to heart because he nabbed 12 rebounds by the time halftime rolled around.
Put simply, Rob was the difference maker for the Celtics last night. His pure hustle, defensive prowess and rebounding helped the Celtics retain their leads even when cut close. For Rob, that meant diving for the ball, getting hammered on shot attempts and fighting with Clint Capela for every rebound. Without Rob, the Celtics most likely lose last nights game. Rob finished with 15 rebs, 12 pts and 2 blocks. If there was going to be a Tommy Point awarded last night, it would be to this man.
The Celtics Backcourt
Last but certainly not least is the huge effort across all three of Boston's guards, Marcus Smart, Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon. These three combined for 51 points on the night and big defensive efforts on Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. The playoffs, especially while on the road require a well rounded effort from all key players, this is exactly what these three provided last night.
The Celtics will look to finish off the Hawks in game 5 back in Boston on Tuesday night. They currently lead the series 3-1. The opportunity now is to finish this series early to enable more rest ahead of starting round 2. Let's go Celtics!