The Celtics will host the Atlanta Hawks Saturday night at TD Garden, looking to capitalize on a much-needed breath of fresh air following an assertive 121-94 win over the Orlando Magic . Boston had been struggling heading into Friday night’s matchup, enduring a 7-7 stretch, headlined by a blowout 13-point loss Wednesday to the Toronto Raptors, one of the league’s bottom feeders. Friday’s dominant win over Orlando serves as a reminder of the Celtics’ potential when they play to their strengths. The Hawks have been a streaky team this season. Atlanta sits in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference standings, led by the backcourt duo of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, both of whom average 23.1 and 16.8 PPG, respectively. Young continues to spearhead the offense with his elite scoring and playmaking, while Murray provides a versatile two-way presence. However, Young missed the Hawks’ Jan. 15 game against the Chicago Bulls due to a rib injury after scoring 43 points against the Phoenix Suns the night prior. Atlanta also benefits from the sharpshooting of Bogdan Bogdanović and the inside presence of Clint Capela, who anchors the paint with his rebounding and rim protection. For Boston, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, who combined for 50 points against Orlando after a forgetful night in Toronto, will aim to reestablish the Celtics' rhythm and consistency the NBA saw earlier in the season. Here’s your preview. When: Saturday, 7 p.m. TV, radio: NBCSB, WBZ-FM 98.5 Line: Boston -11. O/U: 234.5. Points per game: Atlanta 117.2, Boston 117.5 Points allowed per game: Atlanta 119.1, Boston 108.7 Stat of the day: Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined to shoot 52% from the floor Friday against Orlando, compared to 29% Wednesday at Toronto. Notes: The Hawks secured a 110-94 victory over the Bulls on January 15 despite being short-handed. ... Keaton Wallace had a career-best 27 points with six assists, while Daeqwon Plowden impressed with 19 points in his NBA debut. ... Onyeka Okongwu added 14 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists as Atlanta won its third game in four outings. ... The Hawks built an early lead, with Wallace scoring 18 first-half points, and never let Chicago fully recover. Information from Field Level Media was used in this report.
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