Celtics beat Hawks 128-120 and are off to round two

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 26: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans during a game at the Smoothie King Center on January 26, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

The Boston Celtics have advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2023 National Basketball Association Playoffs. On Thursday in game six of their first round series against the Atlanta Hawks, it was the Celtics dynamic duo of small forward Jaylen Brown and power forward Jayson Tatum that had significant offensive games for Boston in a 128-120 win. With the victory, the Celtics won the best out of seven series four games to two.

Brown of Marietta, Georgia, had 32 points, and Tatum of St. Louis, Missouri, had 30 points. It was the third straight game that Brown registered 30 points. He also had 31 points in a 129-121 Celtics win over the Hawks in game four of the series on Sunday, and 35 points in a 119-117 Celtics loss to the Hawks in game five of the series on Tuesday. Tatum meanwhile had a double-double, as he added 14 rebounds. It was the fourth double-double for Tatum in the series.

Three more Celtics reached double figures in points. Point guard Marcus Smart of Flower Mound, Texas had 22 points, point guard Malcolm Brogdon of Atlanta, Georgia the sixth man of the year, had 17 points, and Al Horford of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic had 10 points. Horford had a double-double as he added 12 rebounds.

Game six was relatively tight down the stretch. The Hawks actually led 113-110 with five minutes left. That is when Brown, Horford, and Tatum all made a three-point shot in a span of two minutes and six seconds to give the Celtics a 119-113 lead.

Boston will now play Philadelphia in the next round starting on Monday. The Celtics won three of four games against the 76ers this season.

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