Everything you need to know for the Boston Celtics' home game against the Atlanta Hawks on January 28, 2026: where to watch, listen, stream info, TV channel, and what happened last game.
TD Garden has seen plenty of familiar faces come and go this season, but tonight’s rematch with Atlanta (23-25) carries a very different kind of familiarity - one shaped by recent dominance, mounting fatigue, and a frontcourt picture that feels increasingly fragile on both sides.
Just nine days ago, the Celtics walked into State Farm Arena and flattened the Hawks with one of the most explosive halves in franchise history. That 132-106 win wasn’t competitive for long.
Boston’s 52-point second quarter turned the game into a formality, Jaylen Brown authored a hometown masterpiece with 41 points, and Atlanta never recovered.
It was loud. It was decisive. And it was the kind of performance that usually lingers when teams see each other again so soon.
But the context has shifted since then.
Boston returns home after a draining stretch that included a double-overtime win in Brooklyn (12-33), a last-second loss in Chicago (23-23), and a grind-it-out victory over Portland (23-25).
The Celtics are still winning, still sitting comfortably near the top of the East, but the wear is showing - especially up front. Neemias Queta is listed as doubtful with an illness. Luka Garza is questionable with one of his own. Suddenly, a rotation that already felt thin at center is flirting with becoming improvisational again.
That’s where Amari Williams enters the picture - not as a novelty, but as a necessity.
The rookie has steadily earned trust over the past week, closing games, soaking up real minutes, and holding his own against legitimate NBA size. Tonight could require more of the same, especially against an Atlanta team that is also short-handed inside.
Kristaps Porzingis remains out with Achilles tendinitis, postponing yet another would-be reunion with his former team.
It’s been a familiar story for Atlanta: flashes of what Porzingis could provide, followed by long stretches without him. His absence changes the matchup entirely. Without his spacing and rim protection, the Hawks lose their most unique frontcourt weapon plus any margin for error they might have had against Boston’s physicality.
Meanwhile, Brown continues to carry the Celtics through this stretch, even as the minutes pile up and the injury report looms.
He was the tone-setter in Atlanta. He’s been the stabilizer since. And with Jayson Tatum still sidelined, Boston’s identity continues to flow through him.
This isn’t a revenge game for Atlanta. It’s a stress test for Boston.
Can the Celtics summon the same edge without the same depth? Can they manage fatigue while still controlling the paint? And can they take advantage of an opponent missing its biggest interior piece - again?
The answers start coming tonight.
How to Watch Celtics vs. Hawks
Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics Information
Game Date: January 28, 2026
Game Time: 7:30 PM ET
TV Channel: NBC Sports Boston (Boston) & FanDuel Sports Network Southeast (Atlanta)
Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub (Boston) & 92.9 The Game (Atlanta)
Location: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Live Stream: Fubo & NBA League Pass
Jan 17, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) grabs a rebound past Boston Celtics forward Amari Williams (77) in the fourth quarter at State Farm Arena. (Brett Davis/Imagn Images)Missed any of Monday night’s win over Portland? Here were some takeaways:
1. Not Pretty, But Plenty Good Enough:
This was a grind.
The Celtics didn’t shoot especially well, coughed the ball up 17 times, and went through long stretches where the offense stalled out. On most nights, that can get you into trouble - but Portland simply didn’t have enough juice to fully capitalize.
Without Deni Avdija, who’s in the midst of a breakout season, the Blazers struggled to generate consistent offense. They shot just 41% from the field and 25% from three, and while they made a push to get the game back into single digits late, it never felt like Boston lost control.
The Celtics built a massive cushion early, holding Portland to just 11 points in the first quarter and stretching the lead to as many as 23 in the first half.
That buffer mattered on a night when execution wavered, and it allowed Boston to survive an otherwise sluggish performance.
2. Amari Williams Looks Ready:
With Luka Garza ruled out before tip due to illness and Neemias Queta also not at full strength, the door opened for two-way big Amari Williams - and he took advantage.
Williams logged 26 minutes and finished with 9 points and 7 rebounds, looking comfortable and composed throughout. This wasn’t a surprise cameo like his late appearance in the double-overtime win over Brooklyn last week. This was a real, rotation-level run, and Williams didn’t look overwhelmed.
He rebounded, defended, and stayed within himself offensively.
For a Celtics team that’s constantly evaluating its frontcourt depth, nights like this matter - whether Williams’ future is in Boston or as a potential asset elsewhere.
3. Familiar Faces, Familiar Appreciation:
Monday night also doubled as a reunion.
Jrue Holiday made his return to TD Garden, drawing cheers during pregame introductions and receiving a welcome-back video after the first quarter.
Holiday finished with 14 points in 24 minutes, continuing to look like a player Boston would gladly welcome back into the fold.
Robert Williams III also returned to the Garden floor, finally healthy enough to face his former team. He posted 6 points and 2 rebounds in 19 minutes, flashing the energy and rim presence Celtics fans know well - even if his body has too often betrayed him.
It was a reminder of just how much this roster has evolved, and how calculated Boston’s decisions were in moving on from both players.
4. Upcoming Home Cooking:
The Celtics now have six of their next eight games at home heading into the All-Star break, and only two of those matchups come against teams currently in playoff position (Houston and New York).
Boston has hovered near the top of the East for weeks, but the margin for error remains slim.
This stretch presents an opportunity to stack wins, build rhythm, and sharpen things offensively before the schedule tightens again.
The Celtics weren’t at their best Monday, and that’s exactly why the win mattered.
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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.