THE Boston Celtics leaned on old reliables Payton Pritchard and Jayson Tatum to snap the hot streak of the Atlanta Hawks, 109-102, in the National Basketball Association (NBA) game at the TD Garden on Saturday, March 28, 2026 (PH time).
Veteran guard Pritchard canned in 36 points while Tatum chipped in 26 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Celtics to their 49th win in the season.
“I don’t think my role changed than any other night,” Pritchard said in a report from ESPN. “Just come out being aggressive, looking to make plays for my teammates or for myself and just make the right reads.”
“I want to win, so obviously, you want to make a play,” Pritchard said. “You see somebody shoot the ball and I see it coming off the rim and I’m just fighting, try to get it, get an extra possession. Those little things like that can change the game and win a game.
Boston, which is currently at second place in the East with a 49-24, record, played without All-Star guard Jaylen Brown, who was ruled out with Achilles tendinitis.
The Hawks entered the game with 14 wins in their last 15 games.
Jalen Johnson poured in 29 points, CJ McCollum canned in 21 points and Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 20 points for the Hawks, who came in 15-2 since the All-Star break, best in the
Eastern Conference.
But Hawks’ surging run ended at the TD Garden, as Pritchard came off the bench and hit crucial shots to spoil Atlanta’s party.
Brown missed his eighth game of the season. The Celtics improved to 7-1 without their leading scorer.
Over the West, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Brooklyn Nets, 116-99, at the Crypto. Com Arena as leading scorer Luka Doncic put up 41 points and eight rebounds.
Austin Reaves scored 15 of his 26 points to help the Lakers secure their 11th win in 12 games. / RSC