Meanwhile, head coach Joe Mazzulla trusted his identicial Game 1 eight-man rotation, and it proved to be enough.
Thanks to some timely offense in cruch time from Derrick White, coupled with Boston limiting its turnover total (10) despite simultaneously getting out-rebounded by Atlanta (49-44), the Celtics hit the road just two wins away from moving on.
STARS OF THE GAME
— Jayson Tatum led the C’s, scoring 24 points while shooting 11-of-20 from the field. The 25-year-old star also grabbed a team-leading five rebounds, dished out five assists and recorded a steal.
— Murray led Atlanta’s offense push with 29 points while also playing a game-leading 40 minutes. He also grabbed six rebounds and totaled three steals.
— White stepped up as Tatum’s co-star in the contest, totaling 26 points on an efficient 11-of-15 shooting night. He also four rebounds while tying teammate Al Horford with a game-leading three blocks. That total gave White a new career-high block total for a playoff game.
WAGER WATCH
Both teams leaned towards the underwhelming side when it came down to netting outside shots, making each one worth even more. FanDuel Sportsbook set Tatum’s over/under for the night at 3.5 with +104 odds on the Over prior to tipoff. Tatum cleared those odds, shooting 4-of-7 from beyond the arc to lead Boston. A $100 wager placed on Tatum would’ve resulted in a $204 total payout.
UP NEXT
The Celtics, now halfway to punching their ticket to the semifinals, head over to Atlanta to continue the series. Game 3 against the Hawks is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. Friday from State Farm Arena.
