After beating the Miami Heat in the play-in game for the 2023 National Basketball Association (NBA) playoffs, the No. 7 Atlanta Hawks were the underdogs against the Boston Celtics in the first round, one of the favorites to win the 2023 NBA Championship. The Hawks earned two statement wins against the Celtics in Game 3 and Game 5, but the series ended 4-2 in the Celtics’ favor after they won Game 6 128-120 on April 27.
Hawks bounce back in Game 3 after two opening losses
After a disappointing start to the series following Game 1 (112-99) and Game 2 (119-106) losses, the Hawks looked to earn their first win at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on April 21. Despite the Celtics being the overwhelming favorites, their Head Coach Joe Mazzulla said he was expecting a “big punch” from the Hawks in Game 3 during the pre-game press conference.
The Celtics got off to a quicker start than the Hawks, hitting a couple of early three-point shots and leading at the end of the first quarter 37-33. The Hawks made up ground in the second quarter and led at 74-67 halftime.
Throughout the second half, the Hawks maintained a strong defense to preserve their slight lead. Big performances from Hawks guards Trae Young (32 points, nine assists and six rebounds) and Dejounte Murray (25 points, five assists and nine rebounds) helped ensure the 130-122 Hawks victory.
At the post-game press conference, Hawks Head Coach Quin Snyder said the intensity and leadership from Young and Murray was a major factor in the win. He added that the home fans helped the team throw themselves into the big occasion and prevent the Celtics from taking control of the series.
“I thought we were more forceful and more precise,” Snyder said. “Our spacing was better in a lot of the situations and we were willing to get off the ball. I think as much as anything, we were a little more patient. We were able to make the right play because we made the right read.”
Murray credited the improvements from the first two games in the series to confidence and being “ready to go from the jump” during the post-game press conference. He said that his message in the locker after the win was to keep going “one game at a time.”
“It’s great to get a win in the playoffs,” Murray said. “But at the same time, we haven’t done nothing. We got a long way to go.”
Celtics win Game 4, regain control of the series
The Hawks headed into Game 4 with momentum built from their strong Game 3 performance, but the Boston Celtics were poised to bounce back.
Celtics forward Jaylen Brown “needed something different” and ditched his facemask for Game 4. Brown noted at the post-game conference that he had grown “comfortable” with the taking the mask off and gave him the “edge” he needed.
In the first quarter, the Celtics racked up 10 more shots than the Hawks and seemed more comfortable shooting the basketball. A barrage of midrange jumpers and three-pointers from Brown and Celtics forward Jayson Tatum helped the Celtics overcome the Hawks’ early lead and end the first quarter leading 35-25.
The Hawks rallied in the second quarter, scoring 28 points and climbing out of a 12-point first-half deficit. Yet, Young asserted himself in the second half. A series of crucial layups and threes from Hawks forwards Bogdan Bogdanović and De’Andre Hunter, Murray and Young brought them within four points. However, the Celtics staved off the Hawks after capitalizing on three pointers of their own.
Celtics guard Marcus Smart, who was listed as questionable leading up to Game 4 after sustaining a lower back injury in Game 3, found his groove in the third quarter, slamming home a forceful blowby dunk and going three for eight on three-point attempts. The Hawks were ultimately unable to erase the deficit and ended the night with a 129-121 defeat. The game ended on an especially sour note for the Hawks, as Murray received a one-game suspension for making contact with and verbally abusing referee Gediminas Petraitis at the game’s conclusion.
Young ended the matchup with 35 points while Tatum and Brown each scored 31. At the post-game press conference, Brown said that Game 4 was a must-win for the Celtics.
“It don’t gotta be pretty,” Brown said. “[We] just gotta get it done.”
Tatum said that he felt a similar sense of urgency heading into Game 4 because this series reminded him of last year’s loss to the Golden State Warriors in NBA finals.
“[I’m] really happy the opportunity came back around from losing in June,” Tatum said. “Learning from experience, growing from that experience last year and believing that we can go back and beyond … It’s really one game at a time.”
Celtics clinch series with big win on the road
After the Hawks kept their season alive with a key Game 5 win in Boston on April 25, the Celtics ended the Hawks’ playoff run in Game 6 with a dramatic flair. The game could have gone either way, as the Hawks responded to the Celtics’ every move. Unlike in Game 5, however, the Hawks were unsuccessful in holding the Celtics back and the season slipped from their fingers in the last three minutes of Game 6.
Young led the Hawks into halftime with 25 points, keeping the game within one point at 67-68. Moving into the third quarter, Young had a harder time putting points on the board. In the second half, Young only scored five points and missed 12 out of his 13 shots, a loss of momentum which he attributed to the Celtics’ strong defense at the post-game press conference.
“Marcus was being way more aggressive and he wasn’t leaving me as much to go help,” Young said. “In the first half, they were playing more team defense and I was able to catch the ball … and attack right away.”
Though Young ran out of steam during the second half, the Hawks still challenged the Celtics up until the last few minutes. The game remained within five points from 4:07 remaining in the second quarter to 2:44 left in the fourth quarter. It only shifted in the Celtics’ favor after a key shot by Brown.
“Jaylen hit a big three in front of our bench and I think it was tied,” Young said. “Momentum plays like that, they hurt.”
With the game tied at 113-113 with four minutes to go, the Celtics surged ahead to score eight consecutive points and finish on a 15-7 run. Brown and Tatum capped off the night with 32 and 30 points, respectively.
Despite ending the series with a disappointing home loss, the Hawks gave the Celtics a run for their money. The Celtics were expected to sweep the Hawks 4-0, so the Hawks surprised them by extending the series. In the post-game press conference, Snyder said that he had not processed the loss yet but noted that his team fought until the very end.
“Trae, in addition to our whole team, just competed,” Snyder said. “In the end, that’s all you can ask for.”
Season take-aways for the Hawks
This series overshadowed what some have called a “mediocre” regular season, highlighted by ups and downs. Crucial personnel moves, which included the firing of former head coach Nate McMillan and the acquisition of forward Saddiq Bey, changed the team’s offense makeup. Despite finishing seventh in the Eastern Conference after defeating the Heat in a play-in game, the statement win in Game 5 proved that the Hawks still had potential to play at a title-contending level.
After exceeding expectations in the playoffs, the Hawks enter the 2023-24 season with high hopes and seek to carry that momentum to the offseason. At the upcoming NBA draft on June 22, the Hawks will look to capitalize on their 15th and 46th picks.
Currently, Atlanta boasts a talented young core consisting of forward Jalen Johnson, center Onyeka Okongwu and Bey. Their front office may look to build around the young players with Snyder as coach and Murray and Young in the backcourt depending on whether the Hawks want to pursue a contract extension for Murray. Young said at the press conference that he is optimistic about working with Snyder in the offseason and thinks the coach will bring the team in a positive direction.
“Quin is the future,” Young said. “I believe with him here, this city is gonna win a championship. It’s just about bringing in the right pieces for him.”
Young declined to answer what missing pieces the team needs to move beyond the first round at the Game 6 postgame press conference. Instead, Young said that he wanted to focus on the future and discussed his aspirations for the young team.
“I want to be looked at as a team that should come in and win a championship, not just be in the picture or be in the running.” Young said. “I want to come into the season as a team that people look at that can win.”
