Payton Pritchard Leads Boston Celtics Past Atlanta Hawks (109-102) Without Jaylen Brown

BOSTON — Boston Celtics defeated Atlanta Hawks 109-102 on Friday night in NBA action, led by an outstanding performance from Payton Pritchard, who scored 36 points, and a double-double from Jayson Tatum, who contributed 26 points and 12 rebounds to carry the home team in a competitive matchup at TD Garden.

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Atlanta started with great energy and quickly took control of the scoreboard. The Hawks jumped out to a 25-9 lead in the first quarter, capitalizing on their early accuracy and the offensive leadership of Jalen Johnson, who finished with 29 points. CJ McCollum added 21 points and Nickeil Alexander-Walker chipped in 20 for the visiting team, which maintained the initiative through much of the first half.

Boston, without All-Star shooting guard Jaylen Brown—sidelined with Achilles tendinitis—found the necessary spark from the bench. Payton Pritchard led the comeback with a devastating three-point barrage that changed the rhythm of the game. The Celtics connected on seven consecutive three-pointers in the second quarter, cutting into the deficit and getting firmly back into the contest. Still, Atlanta managed to take a halftime lead after the first 24 minutes (60-55).

The game remained competitive through much of the second half. The Hawks, coming off an overtime victory against Eastern Conference leader Detroit, entered the fourth quarter still with legitimate championship hopes. However, Boston's late push ultimately tipped the scales in their favor.

Jayson Tatum had a difficult shooting night, missing 16 of his 24 field-goal attempts, but showed up when it mattered most. A driving layup extended the Celtics' lead to 97-86 with 7:29 remaining. Shortly after, with the shot clock nearly expired, Tatum was fouled on a three-point attempt and converted all three free throws, establishing a 107-99 lead with just over a minute left that essentially sealed the game.

Atlanta's offensive efficiency deteriorated down the stretch and finished the game shooting 39% from the field, a significant drop from their hot start.

The Hawks came into the matchup in one of their best stretches of the season, with 14 wins in their last 15 games and a 15-2 record since the All-Star break, but saw their three-game winning streak halted.

For Boston, the victory carries added significance given the circumstances. Jaylen Brown missed his eighth game of the season, and head coach Joe Mazzulla indicated the shooting guard is day-to-day, though the Celtics have proven capable of responding: the team improves to 7-1 this season in games played without their leading scorer.