Jalen Johnson led the Atlanta Hawks to a thrilling 117-116 win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, posting 18 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists, and three steals in the first NBA Cup game for both teams.
Jaylen Brown and Derrick White scored season-highs of 37 points and 31 points, respectively, for Boston. Brown hit 7 of 12 three-pointers and 10 of 15 shots in total, while White added six rebounds and five assists.
The game came down to the final moments when Onyeka Okongwu tipped in a missed shot with 6.1 seconds left to give Atlanta the 117-116 lead. After both teams turned the ball over in the final seconds, Brown missed a jumper at the buzzer that would have won the game for the Celtics.
Dyson Daniels had a season-high 28 points, along with seven assists and six steals for the Hawks. Clint Capela added 18 points and nine rebounds, while Larry Nance Jr. scored 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting. Jayson Tatum contributed 20 points, six rebounds, and eight assists for Boston but struggled with his shooting, finishing 5 of 16 from the field.
The Hawks dominated on the boards, grabbing 20 offensive rebounds compared to Boston’s six, while the Celtics committed 20 turnovers.
With this win, Atlanta ended a two-game losing streak and improved their road record to 2-3. Boston dropped to 3-2 at home.
The Hawks played without star point guard Trae Young, who missed the game due to right Achilles tendinitis. Young is averaging 23.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 11.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.
Boston led 31-29 after the first quarter and extended their advantage to 54-43 with 3:47 left in the second quarter, eventually leading 65-54 at halftime.
A three-pointer by White put the Celtics up 75-60 with 8:32 left in the third, but the Hawks closed the gap to 88-84 by the end of the quarter. Boston led 91-84 heading into the final period.
Atlanta tied the game at 97 with 7:21 remaining on a basket by Jalen Johnson.
