The Boston Celtics cruised to their eighth consecutive victory as they took down the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night, 126-101.
They have their supporting cast to thank for it. With stars Jayson Tatum (19 points) and Jaylen Brown (22 points) having off shooting nights, plus Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon out due to injury, the rest of the squad was forced to step up. Not only did they rise to the occasion, they dominated from start to finish.
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Sam Hauser (15 points) and Payton Pritchard (14 points) were automatic off the C's bench as they combined to shoot 9-for-12 from 3-point range. Luke Kornet added 15 points of his own to help the second unit put on a show.
Grant Williams had 18 points and was 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. Derrick White notched a double-double with 16 points and 10 assists.
The Celtics will try to extend their win streak to nine games when they visit the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night. Here are three takeaways from Wednesday's game.
Derrick White fills in admirably for Marcus Smart
Boston Celtics
Boston was without its starting point guard Wednesday night as Marcus Smart was sidelined with ankle inflammation. Fellow veteran guard Malcolm Brogdon also was ruled out for the fourth consecutive game due to a hamstring injury.
Backup guard Derrick White got the start in Smart's absence and did a little bit of everything to propel the C's to victory. On top of his 16 points (6-11 FG), he also filled in nicely as a playmaker with 10 assists.
White also made Smart-like winning plays on the defensive end, including his seventh drawn charge of the season.
The 2022 trade deadline acquisition just continues to be an invaluable piece for the Celtics. When Smart and/or Brogdon are off their game or unavailable to suit up, Boston can rest assured the next man up will do his part.
Good things come in threes
Whenever the Hawks crept back into the game, the Celtics pulled away with a barrage of 3-point shots. Grant Williams, Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard were the primary culprits.
Williams hit four of his seven 3-point attempts, including back-to-back shots from his corner office.
Hauser was 5-for-6 from 3. He added six rebounds and was a team-best +35.
Pritchard shot 4-for-6 from long range, including a buzzer-beater to end the first half. He also tallied four assists.
The trio carried the load while Tatum and Brown combined to shoot just 4-for-16 from beyond the arc. The Hawks were 7-for-32 as a team from 3. That was the difference in Boston's 25-point win.
Big night for the 'Green Kornet'
Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard were unstoppable off the bench for the C's, but don't sleep on big man Luke Kornet. The 7-foot-2 center had himself a stellar night with eight rebounds and four blocks. He matched Hauser with 15 points, his highest scoring output since Feb. 9, 2020.
He topped off the performance with a late 3-pointer that fired up Smart and the Celtics bench.
It was a phenomenal night on both ends of the floor for the "Green Kornet." Celtics fans anxiously await the return of big man Robert Williams, but Kornet showed he's capable of holding down the fort in the meantime.