The Boston Celtics (4-4) comfortably delivered a home win against the Atlanta Hawks (8-3) on Friday, winning 106-93.
After briefly pulling away in the third quarter, the Celtics pulled off a 10-0 run late in the game to seal the victory. Point guard Isaiah Thomas led the charge for Boston, posting a 23-point, 10-assist double-double. Small forward Jae Crowder helped anchor the defense, grabbing four steals and a block on the night. Friday's performance increased Crowder's league-leading average of 3.4 steals per game. Also aiding the defense was power forward Amir Johnson, whose three blocks and three steals helped contribute to the relatively quiet night from Atlanta's usually dominant frontcourt.
While Atlanta shot a healthy 47.4% from the field, the true story of the game was Boston's 50-35 advantage on the glass. An abundance of second-chance attempts helped mask the Celtics' relatively poor 40.8% team shooting. An off night from All-Star point guard Jeff Teague only compounded the Atlanta's woes. Teague finished the night with a modest six points and three assists while turning the ball over three times.
Despite the off night, Atlanta remains one of the top dogs in the Eastern Conference. They will hope to get back on their feet on Monday against the Jazz. Meanwhile, the Celtics will look to crack .500 on Monday as they travel to Oklahoma City.
