Atlanta Repeats Over Boston, 123-122 Becomes First Team to Beat Celts Twice

In another intense meeting many were saying as having a playoff feel, the Atlanta Hawks again defeated the Boston Celtics, this time, in overtime, 123-122 at their State Farm Arena.

The Hawks thus become the first team to beat the Celtics twice this season, tying their season series at 2-all after nipping Boston last Monday (Tuesday in the Philippines) 120-118 also in Atlanta.

DAndre Hunter hit a huge triple to give Atlanta the winning cushion, 120-116 with few ticks left which Kristaps Porzingis reduced to what it was at the buzzer with a tip in of Al Horford's undergoal shot

This time the heroics was done by Dejounte Murray who banged in a triple after the ball got to him after a mad scramble under the Hawks' basket with less than a second left of the game. That gave the Hawks the winning point after the regulation period ended at 112 all.

It was the second game that the Hawks played without their ace guard Trey Young. But no problem as coach Quin Snyder very astutely shuffled who's available from his bench to backstop Clint Capella and that included Hunter, Murray, Bogdan Bogdanovich and Wesley Matthews who all delivered on both ends.

With Young cheering them on from the sideline, the Hawks fought the Celtics for every shot, rebound and loose ball reminiscent of the earlier NBA playoff eras of Larry Bird and Dominique Wilkins.

As usual Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown with support from Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Horford led the Celtics.

But the Hawks proved to have more to not only match but outdo them especially when it matters the most.

The defeat barely affect Boston's standing not only as the East leading team but the league's top team with the best overall win-loss record of 57-16. The win did not improve the Hawk's 10th place position in the East with 34-37 record.

But a starking significance of the last two games is that the Hawks if they survive the play in could be the Celtics' first round playoff opponents.

The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.