Hawks surge past the Celtics 112-102, riding a big third quarter and a 13th straight home win
Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson each scored 20 points, and three days after losing to the Celtics on the road, the Hawks responded with a 112-102 win over Boston on Monday night. It was Atlanta's 13th consecutive home win. Okongwu (20 points, 10 rebounds) and Johnson each had double-doubles.
ATLANTA (AP) — Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson each scored 20 points, and three days after losing to the Celtics on the road , the Hawks responded with a 112-102 win over Boston on Monday night. It was Atlanta's 13th consecutive home win. Okongwu (20 points, 10 rebounds) and Johnson each had double-doubles.
It was Johnson's (20 points, 12 rebounds) 45th of the season. A tightly contested first half with 10 ties and nine lead changes ended at 54-all as Nickeil Alexander-Walker hit a 27-foot 3-pointer to seal the first half. Atlanta carried that momentum into the third quarter, outscoring the Celtics 36-22 to take a 14-point lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
The Celtics climbed back from a 21-point deficit in the fourth quarter to come within eight points in the last two minutes. Johnson and Alexander-Walker helped put the game out of reach with four made free throws in the final minute. Boston’s lineup looked different this time around, with Jaylen Brown returning after a two-game absence and Jayson Tatum on the bench with injury management.
Tatum scored 26 points during the teams’ Friday meeting. Brown had a team high 29 points and 10 rebounds. Luka Garza had 20 points and nine rebounds.