A night after looking like the Celtics of last year, Boston regressed in a 119-115 overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday at TD Garden.
The Celtics (29-13) watched a 10-point fourth-quarter lead slip away, as Trae Young (28 points, 11 assists) orchestrated a furious comeback for Atlanta. The Hawks (22-19) stole one, as Boston squandered a game it should have won.
Five Celtics players scored double figures, led by Jaylen Brown with 24 and Jayson Tatum with 23.
Derrick White tied it at 100 on two free throws with 52.3 seconds left in regulation, following an unsuccessful challenge from Hawks coach Quin Snyder. De’Andre Hunter missed a 3-pointer, Neemias Queta corralled the rebound and Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla called timeout.
Brown buried a silky step-back to make it 102-100 with 28.7 seconds left, then the Celtics forced the Hawks into a costly turnover. Young picked up a technical foul with 20.8 left to push it to three points, then a Celtics missed free throw, turnover and ill-advised Jrue Holiday foul up two resulted in a 104-104 tie with 3.5 seconds left.
Tatum missed an off-balance two as time expired, sending the game into overtime.
After a brief brouhaha to start overtime, Tatum trimmed the deficit to 1 on a runner in the final minute. Down one with 12.5 seconds left, the Celtics couldn’t corral a rebound off a Jalen Johnson missed free throw. Tatum missed another shot in the final seconds, and that was that.
The Celtics jumped out to an early 14-6 lead and extended the margin to 33-21 through 1. Brown scored seven of Boston’s first 10 points, attacking the rim regularly and finding his teammates for uncontested layups.
One of those teammates, Luke Kornet, filled in admirably with Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford sidelined. Kornet was patient at the rim, active defensively and consistently made life easier for Brown and Co.
Kornet, who finished the half with 12 points, 6 rebounds, 4 steals and 2 blocks (it’s true), helped the Celtics seize command early. Payton Pritchard (20 points) electrified the crowd with a series of filthy dribble moves and a jumper to highlight a strong all-around quarter.
Atlanta didn’t hit a 3-pointer in the first quarter, Young scored just two points and the Hawks turned it over six times compared to one for the Celtics. It was all Boston early, as the Celtics carried the momentum they built the night prior into this one.
In the second quarter, though, the Hawks found a rhythm and caught fire from distance. Onyeka Okongwu and Hunter helped Atlanta build a 52-48 halftime edge thanks to a decisive, 31-15, second quarter.
The Celtics went frigid from the field, shooting just 35.3 percent from the field and 21.7 percent from 3-point range in the half. Tatum was 2 of 9 for five points, and Jrue Holiday was the only Celtic to shoot better than 33 percent from 3.
Despite the poor second quarter, the Celtics found themselves well within striking distance heading into the third.
The Hawks extended the margin to nine, then a White 3 and layup capped a 12-2 run to vault the Celtics back ahead, 67-66, with 4:43 left in the third.
Tatum came alive, scoring 14 third-quarter points and steering the Celtics to a 78-73 edge heading to the fourth. They managed to keep momentum despite a bricked dunk attempt from Sam Hauser late in the third.
With Pritchard leading the way, the Celtics pushed the margin to 85-75 with 10 minutes left. Atlanta stormed back to tie it at 87 before Pritchard answered again with back-to-back deep 3-pointers.
Nothing gets the Garden crowd going quite like a Pritchard 3. His timely shots Saturday night brought life into the arena.
The teams traded buckets, then Holiday fouled Young and gave the Hawks life to yield overtime. The Hawks did just enough to send the Celtics to their fourth loss in the last seven games.
