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The Boston Celtics, behind Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, have put the Atlanta Hawks on the brink of elimination after winning 130-122 in Game 4. Boston's superstars scored 31 points each to carry the Celtics to a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven series against the Hawks.
Fans quickly reacted to the Celtics' crucial win:
"76ers not stopping these two (Brown and Tatum)."
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Jayson Tatum is averaging 28.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.0 blocks agains the Atlanta Hawks. "JT" is hitting 44.8% of his shots, including 40.0% from behind the arc.
Jaylen Brown, meanwhile, is putting up 23.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals. He has made 51.4% of his field goal attempts, including 38.9% from deep.
Boston's dynamic duo is averaging a combined 51.8 PPG, which is 62.4% of the Celtics' 120.5 PPG in the series. Only the Phoenix Suns' Kevin Durant and Devin Booker (62.6 PPG) are averaging more points as partners in the 2023 NBA playoffs.
Jaylen Brown didn't look like he was going to have a big night in Game 4. He struggled early on, hitting 1-7. Boston's starting shooting guard removed the face mask he has been wearing since February and finished the game 11-15.
Jayson Tatum also struggled with his shots, hitting only 8-20 and just 4-13 from behind the arc. The All-Star MVP's booming triple, however, with roughly two minutes left in the game pushed the Celtics to a 118-106 lead.
More than just the points combined, it was when the Boston Celtics needed the two All-Stars that both of them delivered. They combined to score their team's last 16 points to neutralize every rally the Atlanta Hawks attempted.
Celtics fans are expecting both to come up big time as they try to close out the series in Game 5 at TD Garden.
The Boston Celtics are favored to end the series against the Atlanta Hawks in Game 5
The series shifts back to Boston, where the Celtics finished the regular season with a 32-9 record, tied for an NBA-best with the Milwaukee Bucks. Boston beat Atlanta by an average of 13 points in their first two games at TD Garden.
Additionally, the games in Boston could have been more lopsided had the Celtics not taken their foot off the gas pedal. The Hawks managed to keep the score interesting only because the Celtics were complacent with turnovers, some of them unforced ones.
The Atlanta Hawks could also miss the services of starting guard Dejounte Murray in Game 5. Atlanta's former All-Star berated a referee and then bumped into him after the Hawks' loss to the Celtics in Game 4.
Murray wasn't tossed out of the game as the game was already over. The NBA, however, will have to look into it and possibly suspend him.
You may also like to read: Watch - Dejounte Murray faces a possible suspension as he bumps into referee after losing Game 4
