Celtics lead Hawks 2-0 as Jayson Tatum stars with 29-point display in 119-106 win over Atlanta

The Boston Celtics have taken a commanding 2-0 lead over the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of their playoff series matchup after winning the second game by 13 points once more, at home, all thanks to a dominating, 29-point performance from star Jayson Tatum. 

Trae Young, who was showered with ‘overrated’ chants at the free throw line at TD Garden in the fourth quarter of Tuesday night’s game, had 24 points in Atlanta’s 106-119 loss. He shot 9-22 from the field and a dismal 2-of-8 from three-point range.

Dejounte Murray was Atlanta’s highest scorer of the evening with 29 points on 11-of-24 shooting. He shot 7-of-13 from behind the arc and had six assists and six rebounds too. 

However, the Hawks point guard, who was acquired from the San Antonio Spurs in the offseason, was second-best to Tatum, who made 55 percent of his three-points (5-of-9) and had 10 rebounds, earning himself a double-double. 

The 25-year-old also had six assists. Derrick White was Boston’s second top-scorer of the night, with 26 points on 11-16 shooting (68.75 percent) overall despite shooting 2-of-5 behind the three-point line.

Jayson Tatum, 25, was the Celtics’ highest scorer with 29 points in the 119-106 win on Tuesday

Trae Young was particularly picked pn by the Boston faithful in Atlanta’s second loss of series

Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, 26, was Atlanta’s highest-scorer Tuesday, also with 29 points

On the night, Boston astonishingly outscored Atlanta 64-40 in the paint. Down by 20, the Hawks cut it to single digits late in the third quarter.

With Atlanta trailing 74-57, Young went to the bench and sat out the final 7:07 of the period, briefly visiting the locker room.

His teammates picked it up without him, outscoring the Celtics 24-16 to pull within nine – at 90-81 – entering the fourth.

Young returned to begin the final period and scored four straight points with just over five minutes to play to make it 104-95.

But the Celtics responded with a 15-2 run – bookended by a three-pointer and dunk by Tatum – to get it back up to 119-97 with 2:16 left.

While the Hawks brought a better shooting touch on Tuesday, the Celtics took their overall energy up a notch, repeatedly beating Atlanta down the court in transition and outhustling Hawks to loose balls.

One glaring example was in the second quarter when Brown pried the ball free as De’Andre Hunter drove by.

Malcolm Brogdon corralled it and tossed it ahead a sprinting Brown, who had split between Young and Dejounte Murray as they got caught ball watching.

Derrick White was a problem all night long for the Hawks, scoring 26 points on 11-16 shooting

The Celtics celebrate during the second half of their 106-119 win at TD Garden

One thing that has to be said, however, is that after digging themselves into a hole in Game 1, the Hawks ratcheted up their aggressiveness at the start of Game 2.

They hit eight of their first 14 shots to take an early 22-11 lead, answering coach Quin Snyder’s plea for his team not to pass up open shots because of what transpired in the opener.

The Celtics responded by picking things up on the defensive end, and during a four-plus minute stretch forced nine straight misses and five turnovers by Atlanta.

It helped Boston end the opening quarter on a 17-3 run, punctuated by a 42-foot buzzer-beater by Brogdon.