Hawks ride their hot streak into Boston, but Celtics face the loss of Jaylen Brown. Can Atlanta capitalize on a shorthanded opponent?
The Atlanta Hawks have been the hottest team since the NBA All-Star break. As winners of 14 of their last 15 games, a tough contest looms on Friday night against the Boston Celtics in TD Garden.
However, Boston will be without its star Jaylen Brown, who has been ruled out with an Achilles injury. The Celtics will also be without Nikola Vucevic, but Derrick White and Neemias Queta are both available.
The Hawks are the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, and are looking to create some separation between them and the Toronto Raptors, who are currently the sixth seed.
As for the Hawks' injury report, after having a clean sheet yesterday, center Jock Landale pops up on the report about 6 hours before the game with right shoulder impingement.
Jaylen Brown is the Celtics' leading scorer, so this is no doubt a break for the Hawks, and an opportunity for Atlanta to show again that they can also beat 'superior' teams. Atlanta is really making its claim as a threat in the Eastern Conference, and it's the statement that no team should want to play them in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
After escaping play-in purgatory, Atlanta is 1.5 games ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers for the seventh seed. Things are tight in the East.
Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker have been the main catalysts in the recent winning stretch. Alexander-Walker has averaged just under 24 points per game since March, and Jalen Johnson has three triple-doubles this month.
There have also been several other key contributors for the Hawks like CJ McCollum, Dyson Daniels, and Onyeka Okongwu.
It's also hard to ignore that the Hawks are now 9-0 in games that Jonathan Kuminga plays.
Facing the Celtics is another tough test for Atlanta. The Hawks just defeated the Detroit Pistons in a thrilling OT game. Boston has Jayson Tatum back and is still a real threat despite being without Jaylen Brown.
