The shorthanded Atlanta Hawks (5-7) relied heavily on their young guns to escape the Boston Celtics (9-3) 117-116 on November 13.
Dyson Daniels put on the show, dropping a career-high 28 points, including 11 in the fourth. His electrifying presence was evident all over the floor with 7 assists and 6 steals. Jalen Johnson stuffed the stat sheet with 18 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists and 3 steals. Clint Capela registered a solid 18 points and 9 rebounds. But it was Onyeka Okongwu who took the spotlight, tipping the ball in with under 6.0 seconds remaining, securing the massive upset. The Hawks controlled the game from the glass, snatching 20 offensive rebounds against 6 for the Celtics.
Jaylen Brown led all scorers with a 37-point eruption. Derrick White delivered a masterful performance, dropping 31 points, including 4-for-4 from three in the fourth while Jayson Tatum scored 20 and made history, passing the Hall of Famer Tommy Heinsohn for 12th on the Celtics’ all-time scoring list.
Daniels Strong Performance in the Second Half Led His Team to the Win
The first was hard-fought with both sides evenly matched. But the Celtics emerged with a slight edge, powered by Brown’s 16 points. Boston found their groove in the second, unleashing a 15-5 run to build a nice 11-point lead. Horford, who was questionable coming into the game, boosted the run with 2 triples. Hawks trimmed the lead to half but Brown restored the lead towards the end.
Boston maintained their strong play in the third with Brown vaulting their lead to 15 with a jumper. But the Hawks turned up the heat, launching an 11-2 surge to narrow the deficit to (77-83). Nance Jr and Daniels combined for 16 to get themselves back in the game. The Hawks carried the momentum in the fourth, sinking 4-consecutive baskets that allowed them to level the game at 97. Daniels, took over from there, hitting clutch baskets while Okongwu finished the job with the game-winning tip-in.
Today’s clash marked the first of four group-stage games of the NBA Emirates Cup. Both teams are part of East Group C, sharing the stage with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards, and Chicago Bulls.
Up Next
The Celtics take on the Nets Tomorrow while the Hawks host the Wizards on Saturday.
