Boston once again faced a depleted lineup, with Jayson Tatum out for Achilles repair management on the second night of a back-to-back, Neemias Queta sidelined by a right thumb strain, and Nikola Vucevic unavailable with a fractured finger. The Celtics also lost Ron Harper Jr. to a right ankle sprain against Charlotte the day prior, limiting depth for the contest.
Brown’s night in Atlanta showcased steady play even when his shot faltered. He went 9-for-29 from the field and 3-for-9 from three, but contributed nine assists and 10 rebounds as he quarterbacked the offense and sparked a late fourth-quarter run with a dunk and back-to-back triples that trimmed the deficit.
Atlanta dominated after halftime, turning a close 54-54 halftime into a 36-22 third-quarter swing that gave the Hawks control for the remainder of the game. Luka Garza led the Celtics with 20 points on efficient 8-of-9 shooting, while Payton Pritchard added 16 off the bench in a night hampered by Boston’s injury trouble.
The loss leaves Boston at 50-25, two games ahead of the Knicks for the Eastern Conference’s second seed. With seven regular-season games remaining, Brown’s health will be closely monitored as the Celtics prepare for the stretch run and a potential playoff push, where his impact remains central to Boston’s success. Brown reiterated that the Achilles issue is not a major concern and will be managed as the team weighs workload and rest heading toward the postseason.
